Daily News Recap (4-27-15)

Compiled by Holly Henrichsen
Assistant Web Content Manager

At least 3,000 people are known to have died in a massive earthquake that hit Nepal on Saturday. According to CNN, dozens are also reported to have been killed in neighboring China and India where more than 6,500 people have been injured. The 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit near Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, has displaced thousands from their homes where less than 24 hours after the earthquake, a 6.7 magnitude aftershock was felt near Nepal, India, and Bangladesh and launched multiple avalanches near Mount Everest. 3 U.S. citizens have been confirmed dead including Google Executive Dan Fredinburg. Officials have warned that the number of casualties could rise as rescue teams reach remote mountainous areas of western Nepal.
-Taylor Zavala

Baltimore Police say credible information has been received today that members of various gangs in Baltimore including the Black Guerilla Family, Crips, and Bloods have joined together into a partnership to take out Baltimore Law Enforcement. According to BBC News and Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony Batts, this information is a credible threat and was released as people gathered to attend the funeral services for Freddie Gray. Gray died last week after an encounter with police which he sustained serious and unexplained injuries. His death sparked yet another uproar against police force against African Americans. A statement released by Baltimore police say that protests turned violent Saturday night as police officers were confronted and cars were being smashed. Batts says appropriate precautions will be taken to ensure the safety of their enforcement officers.
-Eryka Villarreal

It’s been nearly 3 years since 12 people were killed and 70 wounded in Aurora, Colorado at a midnight premiere of The Dark Knight Rises, where gunman James Holmes’ trial will now begin reading open statements. Holmes faces approximately 165 counts including first degree murder, attempted murder and explosives offense where he has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity with lawyers arguing the defendant lacked the ability to see right from wrong at the time of the shooting. According to Fox News, the trial has been delayed due to prosecutors and judges disagreeing on unbiased psychological evaluations for Holmes who, if found guilty, may face the death penalty. However, if jurors decide that Holmes was insane at the time of the shooting, he would be committed indefinitely to a state psychiatric hospital. The trial is expected to end in September.
-Taylor Zavala

Baruch Fraternity, Pi Delta Psi are in a hazing suit after the death 19-year-old Baruch College Freshman. According to NBC NEWS, Michael Deng died [on December 8, 2013] after being blindfolded and tackled in an outlawed hazing ritual. The family of Deng is suing the fraternity and a handful of it’s members, accusing them of letting their son die as they tried to cover-up their wrong doing. Police say Deng and other pledges took part of a ritual known as “the Gauntlet”, in which pledges were blindfolded and ordered to carry a backpack weighed down with 20 pounds of sand across a snow-covered field while fraternity members charged and tackled them. As a result, Deng suffered and died from major head trauma in the December 8th ritual at Pi Delta Psi retreat in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains. Suit charges says that instead of dialing 911, the frat members carried Deng into the house, called the organization’s president who allegedly told them to destroy the evidence. 16 months later, no one has yet to be charged.
-Eryka Villarreal