Today in One Paragraph
Donald Trump continued to face backlash for questioning the competency of federal judge Gonzalo Curiel. Officer Caesar Goodson, one of the six officers facing charges related to the 2015 death of Freddie Gray, chose to have his trial decided by a judge, rather than jury. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to take up two cases related to the death penalty next term. And the parents of the child who fell into the gorilla exhibit at an Ohio zoo will not face charges.
Top News
A Republican Rebuke. Republican leaders piled on to Donald Trump for his comments that Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who was born in Indiana to parents of Mexican descent, is not competent to judge a trial over the business practices of the defunct Trump University due to his ethnic background. Among them was Ben Carson, who said, “Every human being is an individual first rather than a member of an identity group,” and Newt Gingrich who called it “inexcusable.” Trump called the attack from Gingrich, in particular, “inappropriate." (Nick Gass, Politico)
Freddie Gray Case Cont’d. Officer Caesar Goodson, the driver of the van that Freddie Gray was being transported in when he was fatally injured, elected to face trial “by the bench,” meaning the judge rather than a jury will decide whether he is guilty of the charges brought against him, including depraved-heart murder. The trial is set to begin Thursday. (Kevin Rector, Baltimore Sun)