Luigi Mangione Hearing on Statute Divisibility Trial in Jan 2027 if Death Penalty Remains

 

by Matthew Russell Lee, Substack Book Patreon SDNY COURTHOUSE, Jan 9 – Luigi Mangione was presented in Federal court on December 19 on four charges, one of them death penalty eligible, for the killing of UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson. Inner City Press was there, covering the case toward a book. On April 1 DOJ announced it will seek the death penalty against Mangione.   In the interim, after some push back, Inner City Press published a book Luigi Mangione Lone Wolf here, now Amazon here More on X for Subscribers here and Substack here On January 9 SDNY Judge Garnett held oral argument, mostly on the divisibility of the statute. At the end two trial dates were discussed: September 2026 if death penalty is taken off the table (by Judge's ruling), or January 2027 if it remains. Inner City Press live tweeted In the state case late on December 2 Inner City Press emailed, then on December 3 faxed and hand-delivered, a letter asking to be heard and for unsealing, here.   After handing in the letter and getting it stamped at 10 am, Inner City Press stayed in and covered Justice Carro's courtroom past 5 pm. Then: Justice Carro said, "Mr. Lee? Come up to the rail." I did. He said, I've read your letter. I intend tomorrow to decide what part of what is being presented came be made public to the Press. And on December 4 he said it would happened (we continue to await past 5 pm, but believe). On the stand December 4 was Officer Frye, jousting with Jacob Kaplan. How many more days? On that, Dec 4 extra on X for Subscribers here and Substack here On December 8, there were things said about sealing that made little sense - extra on X for Subscribers here and Substack here On December 9 Officer Fox was crossed about handcuffing Mangione ten second after he declined to speak. Fox cited the knife extra on X for Subscribers here and Substack here On unsealing bid, more / extra on X for Subscribers here and Substack here *** Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron. Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

LA Reid In Sexual Assault Lawsuit By Dixon Courtroom Sealed Friday Before Monday Trial

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Jan 9 – In 2023 Drew Dixon sued music producer L.A. Reid for sexual assault, saying it had cost her, along other things, producer points on Kanye West and John Legend. 

  On July 9, 2025 counsel for Reid appeared before U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Jeannette A. Vargas, asking to withdraw from the case due to Reid failing to pay. Inner City Press was there, thread

More on X for Subscribers here and on Substack here

Jump cut to January 8, 2026 when Inner City Press went to the courtroom for a 3:30 pm hearinBut it was initially told it had to leave, it was sealed. Inner City Press said, Please tell the judge I object. And minutes later, the Deputy came out into the hall and said, Come back in, the sealed portion will be at the end.

Judge Vargas said, I have a lot of evidentiary matters to address, then the 412 (sealed) portion.

But Reid's new lawyer Imran Ansari of the Aidala firm said he wanted to adjourn, and to explain why only under seal. Finally after a whispered sidebar it was adjourned, with Judge Vargas saying tomorrow at 2:30 pm, tell chambers - and the docket? - by 2 pm if if the session is still needed.

 Since there are evidentiary issues, what does that mean?

Inner City Press filed a letter with the Court, and the parties, to unseal documents, here.

On January 9, while the session started open and Inner City Press live tweeted, it sent sealed at 3:48 pm. When defense counsel came out at 4:40 pm, Inner City Press went in but the judge was done. There may be something in the docket. Unsealing?

More on X for Subscribers here and Substack here

The case is  Dixon v. Reid, 1:23-cv-9878 (Vargas)

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In Fat Joe Suit Against Dixon Cases Seemed AI Blackburn Says No Now Cites Illegal Recording

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Jan 9 – Terrance Dixon says he was abused by Joseph Cartagena a/k/a Fat Joe.

 But Fat Joe sued Dixon first, for defamation. After that, Dixon's lawyer Tyrone Blackburn filed his suit against Fat Joe. 

   On August 1 both cases were addressed before U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Jennifer L. Rochon. Inner City Press live tweeted, here. 

  The upshot is that Judge Rochon declined to stay discovery in Fat Joe v. Dixon, but also declined the request of Fat Joe and Roc Nations that Dixon's case be dismissed and made into a counterclaim in Fat Joe's suit. 

   Instead, Dixon's case will be consolidated with Fat Joes, with Dixon directed to effectuate service of process before an Initial Pre-Trial Conference in that case in October. 

On September 5 Judge Rochon docketed the schedule: "Depositions shall be completed no later than December 1, 2025. The case is to be tried to a jury. Counsel for the parties have conferred and their best estimate of the length of trial is 5 days. Deposition due by 1/20/2026. Fact Discovery due by 12/1/2025. Expert Discovery due by 1/20/2026. Discovery due by 1/20/2026. Case Management Conference set for 2/17/2026 at 10:00 AM before Judge Jennifer L. Rochon. Pretrial Conference set for 2/17/2026 at 10:00 AM."

On September 8 Dixon's counsel Blackburn wrote in asking to amend a filing with a series of misquoted or non existent cases - and on September 10 Judge Rochon declined to accept the amendment, stating "defendants may address any inaccuracies in their previous brief in reply. full filing and endorsement on Patreon here

On January 7 Judge Rochon held a conference on AI and discovery disputes, asked Blackburn if unlike in New Jersey he is continuing - and gave the parties two days to confer, before January 9.

On January 9, Blackburn filed a complaint: "FIRST LETTER addressed to Judge Jennifer L. Rochon from Tyrone Blackburn, Esq. dated 1/9/2026 re: emergency application seeking immediate Court intervention based on the discovery that Plaintiffs Second Amended Complaint (SAC) is materially based on secret and illegal recordings of confidential attorney-to-attorney settlement discussions, made in violation of Floridas criminal wiretapping statute, Fla. Stat. § 934.03, and subject to Floridas absolute exclusionary rule, Fla. Stat. § 934.06." Filing on Patreon here

Watch this site.

More on Jan 7 on X for Subscribers here and Substack here

The two cases have been consolidated under the first filed case, Cartagena v. Dixon, et al., 1:25-cv-3552 (Rochan)

 More on X for Subscribers here and Substack here

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UN Colombia Mission Scandals Show Peacekeeping Rot Under Guterres Amid Cuts

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

UN GATE, Jan 8 – How corrupt is today's UN under Antonio Guterres? Today's follow up, the first but certainly not last, is yet once again on his mission in Colombia, about which his spokespeople Stephane Dujarric and Melissa Fleming refuse all Press questions. Inner City Press has asked them, and others, about the newest sex abuse case against the UN there. Now this, from UN whistleblowers through Inner City Press:

Dear Matthew Russell Lee,  The dishonorable CMS Yang Wang has reached new lows, attempting to abolish the post of a national staff member while she was on maternity leave. This action was reportedly justified under budgetary constraints. The timing is particularly concerning: the process was initiated after the staff member had delivered her child, at a moment when she was understandably not monitoring her work email.

The attempt was made in coordination with Mar Brusola.  According to multiple staff members, the justification used was an alleged lack of performance and skills on the part of the staff member. These claims are disputed and raise concerns of pretext, particularly given the context of ongoing allegations regarding irregularities in CMS recruitment processes, including contested CMS election procedures and a disputed Chief ORM selection.

  This "cost-cutting" measure is a farce when compared to the mission’s staggering financial negligence. While looking to fire a new mother, the mission continues to fund a bloated Engineering Unit that handles no actual construction. This is the same unit that purchased AC units without usable refrigerant and solar panels that sat rotting in paid storage for years. These purchases were reportedly authorized by the corrupt Thair Al-Tikitri, now retired.

Most damning is the environmental cover-up: the waste of a dismantled water treatment was discharged onto land rented by the mission, resulting in a quiet payoff to silence the owner.    The new SRSG might have inherited this mess from Massieu, but every day he allows Wang, and Brusola to remain in power, he signs off on their abuses. The UN cannot claim to be a moral authority in Colombia while it treats its own staff with such calculated disdain.

On June 19, 2025 Inner City Press applied to USG Melissa Fleming and Tal Mekel of MALU to enter and cover UNGA30. More than two months later, no answer at all, as they accredit state media from dictatorships. Shameful.

We'll have more on all this. Keep the info coming.

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27 Bronxites Indicted on Valentine Ave Death Penalty Mulled Hot Shot Woman Bail Stayed

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Substack

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Jan 8 – Angel Villafane, previously convicted of a felony, was arrested for having a gun in incidents starting at 97th Street and Second Avenue then 110th Street and the FDR (long barrel firearm)  

  On May 20, 2022 U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York  Judge Victor Marrero held a conference. Inner City Press covered it, the only media there.

Jump cut to March 6, 2024 - now it was grown to a 16 defendant indictment: "As alleged, day in and day out, this crew distributed fentanyl, heroin, and crack along several blocks on Valentine Avenue."

Inner City Press went to arraignments including that of Christopher Meadows, who the prosecutor described as an enforcer for the lead named defendant (who was detained on consent).

  Based on medical conditions named in court but which Inner City Press will voluntarily not report, he was ordered bailed on $50,000 bond to his mother's residence in Soundview by Magistrate Judge Valerie Figueredo. On the day of appeal, the US agreed to release.

On March 20, co-defendant Damel Marcus asked for release on bail, in Magistrates Court. Inner City Press was there, thread

Late in the day came notice that the defense has appealed to Part I, for March 21. Inner City Press was there, thread

On October 4, a bail review and a full-case proceeding, thread

On March 20, counsel filed a critique of slow production of discovery, and of the scope of the alleged conspiracy, now back to 1993, "when many of the defendants either were not born, were in diapers or had never even been to The Bronx."

On March 21, Inner City Press went, from the thread:

Here in 15th floor hallway, at least 50 family members. Defendants were brought from MDC Brooklyn by bus, not van.

 All the family members who have come can't fit in courtroom 15B. Defendants will be split into two groups...

On April 2, referring back to the March 21 conference, Paramus-based retained counsel to co-defendant Calderone wrote in that she opposed Speedy Trial Act time exclusion on his behalf, not of another co-defendant she was also standing in for.

On April 23 co-defendant Banks was presented and detained on consent; the next conference is set for May 16.

On May 15 the US Attorney's Office wrote in that two trials should be set, March 2 and May 4, 2024, saying "should the Government be directed to seek the death penalty," motions would ensue. Directed from Main Justice?

Inner City Press went to the 15th floor courtroom on May 16. The courtroom was entirely full, with defendants in the jury box, CJA lawyers at the tables and in the front row. They spoke in term, some more recently in the case. Judge Marrero floated the idea of having another judge preside over one of two trials. The AUSA was feisty, saying one of the defense lawyers were verging on being "disruptive." She joked back, as to pushing back a trial date, "I wish I was that busy." Several defendants laughed.

On December 2, another guilty plea in the case: " Juan Calderon. Defendant detained. Sentencing set for 3/2/2026 at 10:00 AM before Judge Victor Marrero.

On January 7 after a long bail fight live tweeted by Inner City Press Johana Alcantara who the US says confessed to killing "Gino" with a hot shot in exchange for 20 bags of fentanyl worth $200 was ordered freed to drug treatment.

But on January 8 it was stayed: "ORDER as to Johana Alcantara. The Court schedules a bail modification appeal hearing in the above-captioned matter for January 16, 2026, at 12:00 PM. The Court additionally STAYS the Release Order entered on January 7, 2026, by the Honorable Ona T. Wang, United States Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of New York, pending the January 16 hearing (Signed by Judge Victor Marrero on 1/8/26)"

More details on X for Subscribers here and Substack here

Watch this site.

The case is USA v. Villafane, et al., 1:21-cr-93 (Marrero)  

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Defunding These UN Agencies Under Antonio Guterres Is Well Deserved Inner City Press List

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

UN GATE, Jan 7 – From the Oval Office on the afternoon of January 7, a list of UN entities the US will be quitting was issued. Hours later UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric could not even comment, putting it off to January 8. But Inner City Press, banned by UNSG Guterres and whose questions Dujarric refuses to answer, put out this:

Many of these entities are bogus and ban the Press. 

DESA - run by the CCP - partnered with convicted bribers Ng Lap Seng & CEFC China Energy, here

ECA? Corrupt in 2025  Corrupt in 2018 (when Antonio Guterres banned Press)

ECLAC - stomping ground of Alicia Barcena, who tried to oust Press, promised UN FOIA, never did it

ESCAP? Whistleblowers leaked the waste of Big Tony  Antonio Guterres ' cronies, here

ESCWA? See, "UNSG Guterres Protected Hezbollah Head of ESCWA now Staff Speak out to Inner City Press"

Int'l Law Commission? UN hindered Press coverage of election, incl Borrego Pérez (Venezuela)

Criminal Tribunals? UN participated in Rwanda genocide (UNDP's Calixte) and see, Srebrenica

International Trade CentRE? Here's before the Ban, ex-Steph Dujarric (who since left X), video

Special Adviser on Africa? UN itself almost killed the office until using it as a dumping ground

Children & Armed Conflict?  Antonio Guterres  took bribes to put countries off (or on) list, then bribed Malta PR with post

Sexual Violence in Conflict? Bogus office never investigated the UN's own rapists like Elkorany 

Alliance of Civilizations? Bought by Gulf countries, partners with UN Censorship Alliance, UNCA

UNCTAD? Whistleblowers complained of misuse by #NextSG candidate Rebeca Grynspan. Another censor?

HABITAT? Another sinkhole of corruption and UN nepotism.   The World Is A Ghetto? 

UN Water? UN failed in Haiti, putting (Nepal peacekeepers') cholera into the river 

UN Oceans?  Antonio Guterres  used it to buy off  UNPGA  Peter Thompson, who was supposed to oversee him, book at page 36 

UN University? They banned the Press from event (fish rots from the head:  Antonio Guterres ) video

 What about the "University for Peace"? There are (many) of other rotten UN entities-

More on X for Subscribers here and Substack here

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Judge Hellerstein Upholds Genocide Verdict against BNP Paribas for Sudan 1st Book Here

By Matthew Russell Lee, Book here

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Jan 7 – BNP Paribas was sued in 2016 for enabling genocide in Sudan, and raised as its defense the laws of Switzerland and that the UN did the same thing.

 In September 2025 Inner City Press covered the trial as a former compliance officer was asked about blocked transactions resubmitted without the word Sudan and passing; and a journalist testified about El Fasher, where Inner City Press reported on UN corruption until it was (and still is) banned.

On October 16 the closings, in which BNP's lawyer said among other things that BNP thought things were getting better in Sudan because the UN was there, and the IMF. Thread.

On October 17, the verdict:

2:15 pm Deputy: Have plaintiffs proved BNP is liable?

Foreperson: Yes

Deputy: How much to Turjuman Ramadan Adam? Foreperson: $6.75 million 
Deputy: And to first plaintiff? Foreperson: $7.3 million Deputy: And second? Foreperson: $6.7 million

[Plus Turjuman's $6.75 = $20,750,000 that BNP owes - but they will move for "judgment as a matter of law - a UN-like impunity move.]

Then "Banking on Dictators" book here

On January 7 Judge Hellerstein - two days after arraigning Nicolas Maduro - denied BNP's bid to reduce the verdict.

More on X for Subscribers here and Substack here

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After Epstein Death MCC Guards nolle Prosequi Now Get to Jan 14 on Unsealing Bid

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Scope Song

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Jan 7 – After Jeffrey Epstein reportedly committed suicide in the Metropolitan Correctional Center on November 25, 2019 a trial date of April 20, 2020 was set for two MCC officers Tova Noel and Michael Thomas by U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Analisa Torres.

  On January 30, 2020, after a heated discussion of defense lawyers' rights to go on vacation, the trial was postponed first to June 8, then to June 22. Inner City Press live-tweeted thread here and below. More on Patreon here.

  Now on January 6, 2026 DOJ has asked to unseal grand jury transcripts in the case, under the Epstein Files Transparency Act - 3 page filing on Patreon here

On January 7 Judge Torres docketed: "If Defendants object to the Government's motion, by January 14, 2026, they shall file a letter on the docket indicating the basis of the objection."

Back on May 25, 2021 Judge Analisa Torres help a short proceeding and approved the deferred prosecution agreements. Inner City Press live tweeted it, here and below.

 On December 30, 2021, the day after Epstein's co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted of five of the six sex trafficking counts against her, the SDNY US Attorney's Office filed as to Tova Noel and Michael Thomas a Nolle Prosequi entirely disposing of the case against them. Closing the books..

  Inner City Press asked: if the dead prisoner were like most of those kept in the MCC, would anyone have been charged? We'll have more on this. More on Patreon here.

   Other defense lawyers exclusively complained to Inner City Press about not being able to see on a timely basis their clients in the MCC. Now what will be done about the MCC's (lack of) supervision, including by U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Richard M. Berman?

   Epstein had shifts of lawyers purporting to meet with him all day, in a room where the other Criminal Justice Act lawyers said Epstein had access to the Internet. The CJA lawyers had to wait up to four hours to see their clients.

  "It's outrageous," one of the lawyers told Inner City Press. "El Chapo is the only other one who tried this, but he was in a special unit so it didn't impact the rest of us." More on Patreon here.

  Other child sex defendants have conditions that they cannot use the Internet. They are also supervised, especially but not only when on suicide watch. But with Epstein paying lawyers to meet with him all day in the MCC, he was allowed to use the 'Net and presumably more.

Inner City Press will continue to cover this and other SDNY and 2nd Circuit cases - watch this site, and there is more on Patreon, here.

This case is USA v. Noel, et al., 1:19-cr-830 (Torres)

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Warrant to Seize M/T Skipper Sealed 25 Days After Order so Inner City Press Files on Bella 1

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

FEDERAL COURT, Jan 7 – Following the seizure of the M/T Skipper after it left Venezuela on Decmeber 10, on December 12 U.S. District Court for the District of Colombia Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui signed an order unsealing his authorization of the seizure, as 25-sz-50.  

 But when Inner City Press, covering the cases, sought out the case on PACER on the morning of December 13, it was still listed as "25-sz-50 SEALED v. SEALED; Case is not available to the public."    

Figuring from the number that there must be at least 49 earlier seizure order in 2025, Inner City Press checked them one by one. Only four were not sealed: one involving SpaceX, others involving domains uses for cryptocurrency scams.   But what about the other 45 cases?  And now a new sealed one in 2026?

  Inner City Press, which often successfully makes such requests in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, and now in the NYS Supreme Criminal Court unsealing exhibits in the Luigi Mangione case, on the morning of December 13 filed with Judge Faruqui, with a copy to the AUSA on one of the four unsealed cases.

On the morning of December 22, the promised-to-be-unsealed M/T Skipper order was still sealed; now there are 25-sz-51 to 56 orders, all sealed, along with the other 45 orders still sealed.

Inner City Press has written to Judge Faruqui, and the AUSA, a second time. And now a third:

On the morning of January 7, after the Bella 1 was boarded, even 25-sz-50 was still sealed, and a new one added (sealed) in 2026. So a third letter has done in.

Watch this site

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