Man avoids death penalty in killing of 5-year-old girl, leaving her to be eaten by alligators

A jury recommended Harrel Braddy should be sentenced to life in prison for the 1998 killing of 5-year-old Quantisha Maycock. (Miami-Dade Corrections)

Miami

A Florida man found guilty in the killing of a young girl nearly three decades ago has been given a life sentence.

After more than three hours of deliberations, jurors recommended Harrel Braddy, 76, be sentenced to life in prison for the 1998 killing of 5-year-old Quantisha Maycock, WTVJ reports.

Authorities said Braddy had dropped off the 5-year-old in the Everglades to be eaten alive by alligators after kidnapping her and her mother, Shandelle Maycock.

Prosecutors in the case said Braddy attacked Shandelle Maycock after she rejected his advances and that he left her dead in a deserted area near the Broward-Palm Beach County line, the Miami Herald reports.

Out of fear that Quantisha could identify him, investigators said he then dumped the child in Alligator Alley; her body was found in a canal days later by fishermen.

In 2007, Braddy was found guilty of first-degree murder, kidnapping and other charges.

The jury at that time recommended the death penalty, but that recommendation was later overturned after Florida’s death penalty sentencing law was found to be unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

On Friday, the jury sided with Braddy’s attorneys in his resentencing trial and chose life in prison for his sentence.

Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez formally sentenced Braddy after the verdict was read.

Tim Walz says he won’t seek elected office again after finishing his term as Minnesota governor

FILE -- Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. (Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, MGN)

Minneapolis

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he will not run for elected office again.

Walz touched on his political plans in a recent interview with cable news channel MS Now.

“I will never run for an elected office again,” Walz said. “Never again.”

The 2024 Democratic vice-presidential nominee said he plans to “do the work” while finding other ways to serve the country.

Walz announced earlier this year that he would not run for re-election as governor of Minnesota.

The state has been in the headlines of late for reported fraud involving possible stolen federal funds and the Trump administration’s latest immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar confirmed Thursday that she is running to be Minnesota’s next governor, promising to take on President Donald Trump while unifying the state.

“Minnesotans, we’ve been through a lot,” Klobuchar said in a video announcing her campaign. “And I believe this moment calls for grit, resilience, and faith in each other.”

Republicans have already started campaigning in what could become a key contest in November.

Largest federal employee union calls for Kristi Noem’s firing after Alex Pretti’s death

FILE — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a news conference at Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

A federal employee union is calling for an independent investigation and for the resignation of prominent government leaders after a deadly shooting of a nurse in Minneapolis involving Border Patrol.

Everett Kelley, the national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said that following the killing of a fellow member, ICU nurse Alex Pretti, the group is calling for accountability.

“In the immediate aftermath of Alex’s killing, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem betrayed the public trust by slandering the good name of our union brother and calling him a ‘domestic terrorist,’” Kelley said in a statement. “Alex Pretti was a patriotic ICU nurse at a VA hospital who devoted his life to serving America’s veterans.”

Pretti was shot and killed by a federal officer Saturday amid an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis by the Trump administration.

Family members said the 37-year-old was an intensive care nurse at a VA hospital who cared deeply about people and was upset by the immigration crackdown in the city.

Saturday’s fatal shooting was the second such death in the city following rising tensions in Minneapolis since the arrival of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

The shooting deaths have prompted calls for thorough independent investigations.

“AFGE calls for a full and transparent investigation into Alex’s killing led by an independent third party. We also call for bipartisan congressional oversight to uncover the truth, ensure accountability, and begin repairing the damage to public trust,” Kelley said.

The union president’s statement continued, saying the group’s “demand is clear,” calling for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller to resign.

Officials with the Trump administration have called Pretti an armed instigator. However, videos emerging from the scene that day have had local political leaders contradict those claims.

President Donald Trump said investigations are moving forward.

“We’re doing an investigation. I want to see the investigation. I want a very honorable and honest investigation. I have to see it myself,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday at the White House.

Kelley said labor and faith leaders from Minneapolis came together this week to honor Pretti.

“We honored his life and legacy and lifted up his family, his friends, his union, Minneapolis, and our nation in prayer,” Kelley said in his statement.

‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ house hits market for nearly $30 million

The "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" house is hitting the market for the first time in 48 years.(Source: Airbnb)

Los Angeles

An iconic Los Angeles-area mansion made famous by a popular ’90s sitcom is up for sale for the first time in nearly 50 years.

According to Realtor.com, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” house has hit the market for an asking price of $29.5 million.

The massive six-bedroom, seven-bathroom home was used for establishing shots depicting the front of Uncle Phil’s house in the ’90s sitcom.

The real-life mansion is said to have more than 10,000 square feet of living space and sits on a corner lot with a large pool and spa area.

According to the listing, the property has been updated and remodeled in recent decades. It last sold in 1978 for $732,000.

“Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” debuted in 1990 and starred Will Smith in the lead role, focusing on his character’s move from West Philadelphia to the Bel-Air community to live with his wealthy relatives.

‘Wheel of Fortune’ star Vanna White announces marriage to longtime partner

FILE -- Vanna White, left, and John Donaldson arrive at the 25th annual Race to Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton hotel in 2018. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Los Angeles

Vanna White and John Donaldson are officially married.

The “Wheel of Fortune” icon and her longtime partner announced their marriage on Instagram on Wednesday.

“Surprise! We got married!” White shared, posting a photo from their wedding day. “John and I have been in love for more than a decade, and a little while back, we wanted to make it official in a private ceremony.”

“We’re excited to share this new, joyful chapter in our lives with all of you! Love, Vanna and John,” the post continued.

White and Donaldson, a real estate developer, first met in 2012 when a friend brought him to one of her barbecues.

People reported that White said in a previous interview that her relationship with Donaldson “just works,” and that she knows “he’s the one” and that “he knows I’m the one.”

The 68-year-old TV star also shared that they work well together because Donaldson is “the male version” of her, while noting that they “are very similar.”

White and Donaldson have both been previously married. White shares two grown children with ex-husband George Santo Pietro.

The “Wheel of Fortune” star has shared many images of herself with Donaldson and her two children over the years, and they have supported one another at public events.