News from June 26 to July 2: Supreme Court decisions, Astroworld criminal charges, woman 'melted' in couch
It's been news story after news story this past week from the Houston area, but mostly in the U.S.
During the week of June 26 to July 2, there were three major court decisions from the Supreme Court, a Harris County grand jury came to a decision on criminal charges against Travis Scott for his deadly Astroworld Festival in November 2021, and Louisiana parents were re-indicted on second-degree murder charges after their daughter was found "melted" into the couch.
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Here's a compilation of a few of the news stories from this week.
Supreme Court strikes down affirmative action in college admissions
Supreme Court ends Affirmative Action
The nation's highest court has handed down another bombshell decision with ripple effects across the country. They ruled race-based policies in higher education violated the Constitution's Equal Protection clause. FOX's Madeleine Rivera breaks down the decision on Affirmative Action.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions declaring race cannot be a factor and forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies.
The court's conservative majority overturned admissions plans at Harvard in a 6-2 decision and 6-3 in the University of North Carolina, the nation's oldest private and public colleges, respectively.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson sat out the Harvard case because she had been a member of an advisory governing board,
Chief Justice John Roberts said that for too long universities have "concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual’s identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice."
The schools said that they use race in a limited way, but that eliminating it as a factor altogether would make it much harder to achieve a student body that looks like America.
Click here to read more about the story.
Supreme Court backs designer who objects to making gay couples’ wedding websites
On Friday, the Supreme Court's conservative majority ruled that a Christian graphic artist from Colorado who wants to design wedding websites can refuse to work with same-sex couples despite a state law that bars discrimination based on sexual orientation, race, gender and other characteristics.
Smith argued that the law violates her free speech rights. The court ruled 6-3 for Smith.
The designer’s opponents warned the win would allow a range of businesses to discriminate, refusing to serve Black, Jewish or Muslim customers, interracial or interfaith couples or immigrants.
However, Smith and her supporters said a ruling against her would force artists — from painters and photographers to writers and musicians — to do work that is against their beliefs.
Smith, who owns a Colorado design business called 303 Creative, does not currently create wedding websites but she wants to and her Christian faith would prevent her from creating websites celebrating same-sex marriages.
Click here to read more about the story.
Student loan forgiveness struck down: Here's what that means for you
Borrowers give response on student loan block
President Biden says he's working to give student loan borrowers a new path to loan forgiveness after the Supreme Court blocked his forgiveness plan. FOX 26 Consumer Reporter Heather Sullivan has more on his new plan and how Smart Sense to help borrowers resume payments this fall.
In yet another decision, the Supreme Court ruled the Biden administration overstepped its authority in trying to cancel or reduce student loan debt, effectively killing the $400 billion plan.
The court's decision means, barring an act of Congress, those Americans are on the hook for payments starting in October.
Biden’s plan would have canceled up to $20,000 in federal student loans for 43 million people. Of those, 20 million would have had their remaining student debt erased completely.
Student loan payments that have been frozen for the last three years because of the pandemic will restart in October and was going to happen no matter what the Supreme Court decided. Interest will start accruing on Sept. 1.
Despite the court’s decision, Biden vowed Friday to push ahead with a new plan providing student loan relief for millions of borrowers. His administration has begun the process of working under the authority of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which he called "the best path that remains to provide as many borrowers as possible with debt relief."
Click here to read more about the story.
Astroworld tragedy: Grand jury declines criminal charges for Travis Scott
Two years after the Astroworld tragedy that killed 10 people in 2021, a decision has been made to file no criminal charges against Travis Scott.
The Harris County District Attorney's Office reportedly told Scott's lawyers he has been no billed, which means no criminal charges will be filed against him.
A grand jury met on Thursday and decided to no bill Brent Silverstein, John Junell, Shawna Boardman, Seth Boardman, Emily Ockenden, and Jacques Webster II also known as Travis Scott on all criminal charges related to the deaths of the 10 spectators who died.
Click here to read more about the story.
Parents of Louisiana woman found 'melted' into couch re-indicted on second-degree murder charges
A Louisiana couple has been re-indicted on second-degree murder charges for the death of their 36-year-old daughter who was found "melted" into a feces-covered couch and weighing less than 100 pounds, records show.
According to court records, a new indictment for second-degree murder was filed on June 19 against Sheila and Clay Fletcher for the death of their daughter, Lacey, in January 2022.
Slaughter Police Department says an officer responded to the scene and found the young woman’s body in a severely damaged portion of the sofa that was filled with feces.
Click here to read more about the story.
Houston Rockets sign Fred VanVleet to 3-year, $130 Million contract’
Veteran point guard Fred VanVleet is leaving the Toronto Raptors, enticed by a monster three-year, $130-million deal from the Houston Rockets.
An undrafted player whom the Raptors signed in 2016, VanVleet has become a steady scorer and playmaker in his seven NBA seasons.
VanVleet — who famously uses the phrase "bet on yourself" to describe his career trajectory from undrafted player to NBA champion with the Toronto Raptors — will make about $525,000 per game over the next three seasons.
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Club Tabu Shooting: Houston PD identifies gunman, victim files lawsuit
Club Tabu gunman identified, victim files lawsuit
Houston Police have identified a suspect involved in a mass shooting at a Galleria nightclub that injured 6 people. This comes as one of the victims filed a lawsuit against the property owners, which has ties to the Pappas family. FOX 26’s Natalie Hee shares more.
Houston authorities need help finding a gunman they have now identified as the suspect accused of shooting six people outside a club in west Houston on June 11.
Carl Douglas, 32, a.k.a "Cabo" is currently facing three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after shooting five men and a woman back in the overnight hour.
According to a spokesperson with the Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission (TABC) Tabu was previously known as Parma, a pizza restaurant and lounge and their alcohol license expired earlier this year. TAVC adds that Tabu did not have a permit or a pending permit application to serve alcohol when the shooting happened.
It's unclear exactly what led up to the shooting, but HPD Chief Troy Finner says it stemmed from some type of disturbance, which escalated into the parking lot.
Tabu has now been shut down by city officials and the nightclub's sign was completely painted over after it was revealed the business did not have any of the necessary permits including a certificate of occupancy for their patio, fire alarms, or a food, water, and ice permit.
Click here to read more about the story.
Pregnant woman shoots potential robber at Houston gas station
On Tuesday, a pregnant woman held her ground and fended off a would-be robber attempting to rob her and her husband at a Houston gas station.
Houston police officers responded to a shooting at a gas station at 8605 Fulton Street and found a male and a female holding a suspect at gunpoint. The suspect, later identified as Mario Ipina Duque, was suffering from several gunshot wounds.
Surveillance video shows Duque displaying a weapon and threatening to kill the male. He then struck the male with the pistol.
The woman and her husband both pulled out guns and in self-defense, shot Duque. They then held him at gunpoint and called 9-1-1.
Click here to read more about the story.
Family speaks after judge sentences 18-year-old to 10 years for killing 3 young men
Judge Chris Morton sentenced 18-year-old Ahmedal Modawi to 10 years after he pled guilty to killing 22-year-old Eric Orduna, 18-year-old Fnan Measho, and 23-year-old Nick Rodriquez.
All four were valets and Modawi was doing donuts and burnouts in the parking lot when an officer saw the car and attempted to conduct a traffic stop.
He took off at a high rate of speed to avoid the police and crashed into the others.
Eric took the brunt of the impact of the crash as he was dismembered.
"I really thought he was going to get at least 50 years or 30 years not 10. It's just a slap in my family's face," Eric's aunt and godmother Debra Argueta said.
"He's young another chance at life so he's going to give him 10 years," Eric's aunt Stephanie Guerra said. "What about my nephew? What about Fnan? What about Nick? They don't have any more chances."
Click here to read more about the story.
Houston ISD Takeover: Names of new campus principals announced
Houston ISD has announced the new principals for the 28 New Education System campuses.
The district says 17 of the 28 principals named are returning to their campuses for the 2023-2024 school year, while the remaining positions were filled by HISD leaders selected from other parts of the district, or "outstanding external candidates."
HISD is still searching for assistant principals, teachers, and school staff to fill in positions at these 28 schools.
To learn more and apply for the positions under New Education System, click here.