Author: chicagoinquirer

by Mathew Barakat FAIRFAX, Va.  — Frozen human embryos can legally be considered property, or “chattel,” a Virginia judge has ruled, basing his decision in part on a 19th century law governing the treatment of slaves. The preliminary opinion by Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Richard Gardiner – delivered in a long-running dispute between a divorced husband and wife – is being criticized by some for wrongly and unnecessarily delving into a time in Virginia history when it was legally permissible to own human beings. “It’s repulsive and it’s morally repugnant,” said Susan Crockin, a lawyer and scholar at Georgetown…

by Mary Clare Jalonick The Democratic support for the resolution, which comes as murders have spiked over a number of years in D.C., is a shift for Biden and his party and could allow Congress to nullify the city’s laws through the disapproval process for the first time in more than three decades. A look at the politics and precedent of Wednesday’s Senate vote on D.C. crime laws: THE DISTRICT’S NEW LAWS The overhaul of D.C.’s criminal code was approved late last year by the D.C. Council after years of failed attempts. It would redefine crimes, change criminal justice policies…

by Pat Graham DENVER  — Sorry, Giannis, the NBA wanted back that rebound. Your fourth triple-double of the season, too. Some might say nice try, others have an issue with what is known as stat padding. When Milwaukee MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo tried to orchestrate his 10th rebound Sunday night in the final seconds of the Bucks’ win against Washington, it sent the world of social media into overdrive. Along with it, dredged up conversations about the touchy topic of stat padding, which insinuates that someone, whether it be on the basketball court or even in the world of online…

by Leslie Ambriz LOS ANGELES  — Angela Bassett has a presence that feels warm and inviting but also demands your respect. The actor moves like true Hollywood royalty, knowing her worth, dedicated to her craft and remaining confident yet humble throughout a decades-spanning, award-winning career. On a Tuesday in January, Bassett would wake up just before 3:45 a.m., unable to fall back asleep. In just two hours, she would hear Riz Ahmed announce her name as a best supporting actress Oscar nominee for her performance as Queen Ramonda in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Bassett remembers turning to wake up her…

BOLINGBROOK, Ill.  — A suburban Chicago teenager pleaded not guilty Tuesday in the fatal shootings of his 17-year-old girlfriend, a 9-year-old girl and the child’s father. Byrion Montgomery, 17, appeared before a Will County judge in Joliet. Montgomery is charged as an adult with multiple crimes, including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and home invasion. He has been jailed and bail is set at $20 million. The Will County State’s Attorney’s Office said he would be appointed a public defender. The shooting in Bolingbrook, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) west of Chicago, was reported about 8:15 p.m. Sunday. Montgomery was…

by Aamer Madhani and Kim Chandler SELMA, Ala. (AP) — President Joe Biden used the searing memories of Selma’s “Bloody Sunday” to recommit to a cornerstone of democracy, lionizing a seminal moment from the civil rights movement at a time when he has been unable to push enhanced voting protections through Congress and a conservative Supreme Court has undermined a landmark voting law. “Selma is a reckoning. The right to vote … to have your vote counted is the threshold of democracy and liberty. With it anything’s possible,” Biden told a crowd of several thousand people seated on one side…

by Steve Peoples LACONIA, N.H.  — Steve Shurtleff was at Joe Biden’s side in 2019 when he filed papers in the New Hampshire State House to run for president. He repeatedly trekked across the state with Biden to court primary voters. And when Biden ultimately won the presidency, it was Shurtleff, then the Democratic state House speaker, who proudly sealed the envelope that carried New Hampshire’s four electoral votes — including his own name — to the U.S. Senate. But on the eve of a new election season, Shurtleff, like a majority of Democrats across the country, feels that one…

by Mstyslav Chernov KHROMOVE, Ukraine  — Pressure mounted Saturday on Ukrainian troops and civilians hunkering down in Bakhmut, as Kyiv’s forces tried to help residents flee the beleaguered eastern city amid what Western analysts say may be preparations for a Ukrainian withdrawal. A woman was killed and two men were badly wounded by shelling while trying to cross a makeshift bridge out of Bakhmut on Saturday, according to Ukrainian troops who were assisting them. A Ukrainian army representative who asked not to be named for operational reasons told The Associated Press that it was now too dangerous for civilians to…

by Andrew Seligman CHICAGO  — Kevin Durant sees a loaded roster and all the possibilities that come with it for the Phoenix Suns. It’s up to them to make it happen. And they’re off to a good start with their shiny new star. Devin Booker scored 35 points and matched his career high with six 3s, Durant added 20 points in his second game with Phoenix and the Suns beat the Chicago Bulls 125-104 on Friday night. Josh Okogie scored 25 points and made five 3-pointers, and the Suns improved to 2-0 with Durant in the lineup. “We’ve got a…

CHICAGO  — A judge ordered a teenager held without bond Friday in the fatal shooting of a Chicago police officer. Steven Montano, 18, of Chicago, is charged with first-degree murder, two felony firearms charges and misdemeanor counts of assault and interfering with reporting domestic violence. The officer was shot several times Wednesday afternoon on the city’s Southwest Side, Chicago Police Department Superintendent David Brown has said. He was identified Thursday as Officer Andres Vasquez-Lasso, 32, by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. The bail hearing was held a short time after the body of Vasquez-Lasso was taken with a police…