In a significant courtroom development, a Texas judge has effectively closed the door on a new trial for Karmelo Anthony. Despite his legal team’s fervent arguments that his rights were infringed upon by courtroom limitations, absent hearings, and the questionable handling of an informal deal between his prior counsel and prosecutors, their plea was unsuccessful.

Retired District Judge Michael Chitty delivered his verdict against Anthony’s bid after meticulously examining the legal motion, court documents, presented evidence, and legal arguments. Although he issued a formal order, it notably lacked any detailed explanation for his conclusion.

This ruling maintains the status quo of Anthony’s murder conviction, along with his 35-year imprisonment. Nevertheless, his quest for justice is far from over, as a direct appeal looms on the horizon.

Meanwhile, Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis expressed certainty about the decision, reaffirming his office’s unwavering faith in the integrity of the case against Anthony.

“We respect, and expected, the court’s decision denying the motion for a new trial. The jury’s guilty verdict stands, and we remain confident in the process,” his statement said. 

“Every defendant has the right to appeal, and our thoughts and prayers remain with the Metcalf family in the painful wake of last week’s hearing.”

Chitty heard two days of testimony in McKinney, Texas, after Judge Sid Harle removed the judge who presided over Anthony’s murder trial, Judge John Roach, from the remaining trial court proceedings earlier this week.

Harle found that a reasonable outside observer could question whether Roach appeared impartial after he publicly said the jury “got it right” and defended several of his trial decisions.

At the center of the new trial hearing was an oral agreement between Anthony’s original defense attorneys and prosecutors to keep potentially damaging character evidence involving both sides from reaching the jury.

Former lead defense attorney Mike Howard testified that he understood the agreement to allow Anthony to testify if he stayed focused on the confrontation under the tent at a Frisco track meet.

On the final day of the trial, prosecutors told the defense the agreement would not apply if Anthony took the stand and that the defense had opened the door to character evidence. Howard said the dispute led to a heated break in the proceedings and made Anthony unwilling to testify.

Under cross-examination, Howard acknowledged the lawyers never expressly agreed on whether a testifying defendant was covered by the arrangement. He also said he could not say whether prosecutors acted in bad faith.

Former defense attorney Toby Shook gave similar testimony Friday, saying the original defense team understood the agreement to include Anthony’s testimony about the confrontation. The position prosecutors took caught Shook off guard because the defense had always expected Anthony to take the stand in support of his self-defense claim.

The defense also introduced a training presentation that lead prosecutor Bill Wirskye had used in continuing legal education courses on self-defense. One slide advised defense lawyers that the client “(probably) needs to testify.” 

During a break, the defense updated Anthony and explained that Roach said he could not enforce the unwritten agreement, Shook testified. That left Anthony unsure whether testifying would allow prosecutors to introduce character evidence the agreement was meant to keep out.

Wirskye disputed that the agreement was broken. He said the lawyers never discussed the details of what it would allow if Anthony testified and that prosecutors remained willing to honor it. The state feared testimony from Anthony or his mother could inadvertently open the door to character evidence, Wirskye said.

Chitty also considered claims that courtroom access restrictions violated Anthony’s Sixth Amendment right to a public trial and that jury instructions limited jurors’ ability to consider self-defense.

Anthony, 19, was convicted in June of stabbing and killing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during an altercation at a Frisco track meet. A Collin County jury sentenced Anthony to 35 years in prison.

On Saturday, California Governor Gavin Newsom put his signature on the debated “Stop Nick Shirley Act.” This legislative milestone happened mere days after an intruding left-wing activist interrupted the Governor’s Capitol interview, hurling a string of crude personal insults his way.

The newly enacted Assembly Bill 2624 broadens California’s existing Safe at Home program, extending its protections to employees of nonprofit organizations that assist immigrants in navigating the complex immigration system.

Opponents of the bill argue that it serves as a tool for intimidating those attempting to expose unethical behaviors, sparking significant controversy around its intentions.

Residents and organizations will see the law come into effect on October 1, 2027.

Currently, the Safe at Home initiative extends its shield to survivors of domestic violence, victims of elder abuse, and workers within reproductive and gender-affirming health care sectors, offering them substitute mailing addresses to reduce the risk of targeted harassment and violent threats.

Democratic Assemblywoman Mia Bonta (D-Alameda), introduced the bill in February after reports of increased threats and harassment against immigration service providers.

“Our immigrant service providers are living in fear because of extremists looking to demonize the work that they do and the populations they serve,” Bonta said Saturday. “That is an intolerable consequence of the anti-immigrant rhetoric that exists right now.”

Republicans gave the measure the nickname of the “Stop Nick Shirley Act,” coined by Assemblyman Carl DeMaio, R-San Diego.

Shirley, an independent journalist and YouTuber, has made videos following immigrant workers and accusing them of fraud.

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He has criticized AB 2624, saying it was created after he “exposed widespread fraud in immigrant communities” in California and Minnesota.

The controversy intensified after Shirley traveled to San Diego following the viral success of videos he produced about Minnesota.

Newsom said in February that Somali daycare providers there were “under siege” following Shirley’s arrival.

Then came a bizarre twist.

On Wednesday, Shirley was conducting a sidewalk interview outside the California State Capitol in Sacramento when Terry Schanz, chief of staff to Democratic Assemblywoman Tina McKinnor, allegedly barged into the encounter.

Schanz earns $17,319 a month, or $207,828 a year, in taxpayer-funded compensation.

He held up a printed flyer and asked: “Did you guys hear that Nick Shirley has a small penis allegedly?”

According to KCRA, multiple complaints have since been filed with the California Legislature’s HR department, and Schanz is expected to face consequences.

The episode is an awkward backdrop for a bill whose supporters say is designed to combat harassment and doxxing.

Schanz has faced other controversy, too.

His name surfaced in a 2025 wrongful-termination lawsuit containing allegations of political bullying and a toxic workplace culture within top Assembly leadership.

His office also faced scrutiny in January over allegations that it pressured nonprofit newsroom CalMatters to alter footage involving McKinnor after a reporter asked her a tough question about an expensive designer handbag.

The fight over AB 2624 even reached the US Senate, where Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., referred to it as the “Protect Fraudsters Act.”

Bonta has rejected that characterization, saying the law does not conflate legitimate journalism with the doxxing targeted by Safe at Home.

But Newsom has now made the measure law.

Bunny Levine, celebrated for her memorable roles in hits like “Gilmore Girls” and “La La Land,” passed away at 97 on Thursday, August 20.

The actress died peacefully in her sleep at her residence in Los Angeles’ Tarzana area, as per a report from NBCLA.

Following reports of an “unresponsive person,” the Los Angeles Police Department arrived at Levine’s home. Authorities informed NBC that her passing seems to have been due to natural causes.

The Daily Mail reached out to Levine’s representative for a statement but has not yet received a response.

Before gracing the screen, Levine dedicated over two decades as a school librarian, demonstrating her unwavering commitment to fostering education.

Her professional acting career began in the late 80s and led to her starring in numerous television and film projects for decades. 

Levine was born on December 22, 1928 in the city of East Orange in New Jersey. 

Her interest for acting and performing began at an early age, per her official IMDB page. 

She often took on roles in both local and school productions, and had initially majored in Theater Arts in college before switching to a different degree. 

Following graduation, Levine put her focus into raising her children with her husband Bernard and worked as a librarian for 25 years. 

The late star retired early and stepped back into her passion for acting, where she began taking acting classes as well as going to auditions. 

‘Acting is always what I wanted to do, but it wasn’t practical,’ she previously told Mel Magazine. 

‘I don’t know if you’ve seen a picture of me, but I wasn’t a good young leading lady.’

She added, ‘I’m short and a little character-y. I wasn’t ugly, but I wasn’t beautiful either, so acting just wasn’t practical.’ 

After the passing of her husband in 2003, Levine notably later relocated from New York to Los Angeles as she started booking acting gigs in commercials and other projects, per IMDB. 

Her first professional acting credit was the 1988 horror comedy titled Slime City. 

She was then cast in the 1990 movie Cadillac Man and appeared in episodes of As The World Turns and Law & Order in the late 90s.  

Her acting career continued in the 2000s and she appeared in an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond in 2004. 

‘That was the first bigger thing I did in Los Angeles,’ she told Mel Magazine of her role in Everybody Loves Raymond. 

‘In that, I was a friend of Raymond’s mother, and me and a couple of other older women kept dropping things to admire Ray Romano’s rear end. 

‘I never really thought that much about it, but I guess, in retrospect, after that I kept getting a lot of those roles,’ Levine said.

That same year, she portrayed the character of Mrs. Thompson on the hit series Gilmore Girls. 

Levine continued to take on roles in a number of television projects including Ugly Betty, Private Practice and General Hospital: Night Shift. 

She also appeared in an episode of Community in 2008 as well as two episodes of Criminal Minds. 

The late actress additionally played characters in films such as In My Sleep (2010) and Let Go (2011) which had also starred comedian Kevin Hart.  

In 2014, she appeared with the late James Van Der Beek in an episode of the series Friends With Better Lives.

Levine worked alongside Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs in two episodes of the sitcom 2 Broke Girls. 

Other notable TV projects she starred in are Raising Hope, Southland, The Middle and New Girl. 

In 2016, she appeared in an episode of The Mindy Project with Mindy Kaling. 

That same year, she took on the role of a movie theater cashier in the film La La Land. 

The film, which had also starred Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, was a box office and critical success upon its release in theaters. 

La La Land received 14 Academy Awards nominations and won six, including Best Actress for Stone as well as Best Director for Damien Chazelle. 

Levine’s career continued as she landed more guests roles in shows and feature films. 

In 2021, she played Mrs. McCurdy in the series Shameless also starring Emmy Rossum, William H. Macy and Jeremy Allen White. 

Three years later, the star worked with Jane Squibb in the comedic drama Thelma (2024). 

Her acting credits continued through 2026, such as the movie The Cure as well as the short film Achiever.  

A teenager, just 15 years old, has been taken into custody in connection with a tragic shooting linked to gang activity. This incident resulted in the death of a 17-year-old during a high school football game hosted in Bakersfield, California, local authorities shared.

The unsettling event transpired shortly after 8 p.m. on Friday at Independence High School, during their season opener against Centennial High School, as disclosed by the Bakersfield Police Department.

According to police statements, neither the alleged shooter nor the victim were students of Independence High School, confirming this to News Media.

The police stressed that although the shooting wasn’t directly tied to the football matchup, it unfolded while the game was in progress. The incident took place beyond the stadium’s outer fence yet inside the broader chain-link boundary encircling the field and track.

Officers found the 17-year-old suffering from gunshot wounds. He was taken to Kern Medical, where he was pronounced dead.

Authorities have not publicly identified the victim.

Police announced the arrest of the 15-year-old suspect Saturday on suspicion of murder, firearm-related offenses and participating in a criminal street gang, police told News Media.

Investigators said the suspect and victim knew one another and that the shooting “was not a random act of violence.”

Police said a fight involving several people happened before the shooting. The gunfire erupted while the game was underway, sending players and spectators from the area, according to reports from the scene.

The game was canceled following the shooting.

Police told News Media that the gun used in the shooting has not been recovered. Investigators do not believe there are any additional suspects outstanding.

Officers from the Kern High School District, Bakersfield Police Department and Kern County Sheriff’s Office responded to the campus after reports of gunfire.

“Our deepest sympathies remain with the family and loved ones of the 17-year-old who tragically lost his life. We also recognize the impact this incident will have on the family of the 15-year-old who was arrested,” the Bakersfield Police Department said.

“Two young lives and two families have been forever changed by an act of violence, and we extend our compassion to everyone affected by this tragedy.”

Kern High School District Superintendent Dr. Michael Zulfa said Independence High School staff and members of the district police department responded immediately after the shooting to protect students and spectators, and assist law enforcement and emergency personnel.

The school district said it is working with law enforcement as the investigation continues and will review the circumstances surrounding the shooting, Zulfa said. Counseling and other support services will also be available to students and staff.

“Friday night should have been an evening of school spirit, friendship, and community—a time for students and families to come together and celebrate the beginning of a new school year. Instead, an act of violence forever changed the lives of those who were there and has deeply affected our entire District,” Zulfa said.

The investigation remains ongoing.

News Media also reached out to the Kern County District Attorney’s Office for additional information but did not immediately receive a response.

A family visiting Disneyland experienced an unexpected star-studded moment during a delightful encounter with Goofy, as Hollywood actor Matt Damon observed the scene from nearby.

Loryn Powell shared the surprising brush with fame on Instagram Friday, documenting what was meant to be a cherished memory of her daughter’s first interaction with the beloved Disney character at Goofy’s Kitchen, located in the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim.

In the video, Powell’s husband is seen kneeling next to their daughter, who eagerly waves at Goofy dressed in his chef’s attire, before joyfully embracing him.

The family, lost in their magical moment, was unaware of the celebrity standing just a few feet behind them.

Matt Damon, blending in with the scene, can be seen nearby, arms crossed and smiling warmly as he enjoys watching the little girl’s affectionate encounter with Goofy.

“POV you’re watching your husband and daughter meet Goofy for the first time but don’t realize Matt Damon is also watching your husband and daughter meet Goofy for the first time,” Powell wrote over the video.

“When your daughter is more starstruck by Goofy than Matt Damon,” she joked in the caption.

It didn’t take long for people online to notice the Hollywood star lurking in the background. While some commenters wondered whether it was really Damon, others spotted a possible giveaway: the hat he was wearing appeared to say Artists Equity, the production company he launched with longtime friend Ben Affleck.

Damon was visiting Disneyland around the same time for a celebration of his own.

The actor was spotted at the theme park Thursday alongside his wife, Luciana Barroso, their daughters and a group of relatives and friends to mark his daughter Gia’s 18th birthday, according to Parade. Photos from the outing showed the group sporting matching “Birthday Crew” shirts and gathering for a picture in front of the oversized Mickey Mouse pumpkin on Main Street, U.S.A.

Whether Powell captured her video during that same Disneyland outing was not immediately clear.

Six years have passed since Harry and Meghan left Britain, chasing the glitz and glam of Hollywood. Today, they find themselves in a rather humbling situation, forced to rethink their strategy.

Hollywood’s A-list inner circle seems to have loosened its embrace, prompting the duo to face an uncomfortable reality—their waning celebrity status could potentially jeopardize their financial future.

Harry might be anxious about the day his brother, William, ascends to the throne. Could he strip the Sussexes of their titles, similar to the fate Andrew faced under the current King?

Without the leverage of their royal identity, Harry and Meghan might find themselves in a financially precarious position.

It’s important to note, however, that their return to Britain doesn’t signify a newfound allegiance to royal responsibilities or national pride.

They will return to the country they so outrageously damned in successive media appearances because they are desperate.

Once ensconced at their rented home – probably in the Cotswolds – the Sussexes will pose as traditional English country gentry for wholly selfish reasons.

Only Britain offers them the chance of restoring their battered spirits by adopting a relatively low-cost, privileged lifestyle, while attempting to worm their way back into the lives of Harry’s aristocratic friends and, ultimately, the Royal Family.

For some time, the Sussexes’ critics have been anticipating their downfall. Despite the fanfare that accompanied their arrival in California in 2020, realists wondered how the couple would sustain a career lucrative enough to finance their desire for an A-list lifestyle.

Not least maintaining their Montecito home, now worth over £20million, which has running costs of at least £1.5million a year.

The answer, they discovered during the Oprah Winfrey interview, was by betraying the Royal Family’s trust with a succession of headline-grabbing claims. 

Not least, Meghan’s vile allegation that, when she was pregnant with her first child, Archie, unnamed members of the Royal Family had ‘concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be’.

Meghan’s reward was global fame. As for Harry, his former admirers were puzzled as to why he wrote an autobiography filled with poisonous and inaccurate comments about his family.

Could he really have betrayed his father and brother just to land a $20million contract? Probably not, his friends would say. Aggrieved Harry, say his defenders, just needed to settle scores. Well, mission accomplished.

In his book and subsequent interviews and speeches, Harry never resisted any opportunity to damn King Charles, Queen Camilla and William. On the eve of their return to Britain, the Sussexes’ critics demand that these traitors be given no mercy.

The couple’s supporters will counter-argue that their surrender should be greeted with Christian forgiveness. After years of aggression, they have seen the error of their ways.

Forget the bad blood, the Sussexes’ supporters say, and embrace the chance of new relationships among the family and between the Sussexes and the British public.

Cynics may wonder whether any peace offering by the Sussexes – and the world waits to hear whether Meghan and Harry will actually seek forgiveness – will be genuine. But there is no doubt that King Charles is willing to listen.

Among the serious casualties of the Sussexes’ Blitzkrieg was the King. 

Undoubtedly, he now feels vulnerable. Not only because of the threat that his life may be cut short by cancer but also his sense of guilt over the damage he caused Harry by conducting an extra-marital affair with Camilla and ultimately breaking up the family unit.

In those circumstances any decent father will forgive his son, regardless of his sins, not least in order to forge a relationship with his two grandchildren.

During the Sussexes’ visit to Highgrove last month, the atmosphere was, according to an insider, ‘polite with no recrimination’. 

Queen Camilla – fixed smile in place – offered tea to her stepson despite his public denunciation of her as ‘evil’ and it would appear that the goodwill shown calmed the Sussexes’ fear of returning.

Such a scene of domesticity is unlikely to be repeated in William and Kate’s home.

The Sussexes have publicly targeted both Waleses with unprecedented cruelty and William and Kate have every reason to fear the consequences of their return to Britain.

Even before her marriage, Meghan’s apparent envy of Kate suffocated any chance of friendship and following the hateful stories Harry and Meghan spewed on Netflix, Oprah Winfrey and in podcasts, William and Kate are, understandably, in an unforgiving mood. 

Among their most notorious encounters was the teatime ‘reconciliation meeting’ between the brothers and their wives after the Sussexes returned from their honeymoon in 2018.

Tempers flared when, in a discussion about the tearful argument Meghan had with Kate before her wedding, Harry’s new wife said: ‘That was because of your hormones.’

‘You talk about my hormones,’ responded Kate, with a wide-eyed glare. ‘We’re not close enough for you to talk about my hormones.’

‘It’s no big deal,’ Meghan replied. ‘It’s baby brain.’

‘That’s rude, Meghan,’ William interrupted, jabbing his finger at her face.

‘If you don’t mind, get your finger out of my face,’ Meghan snapped in response.

William’s dislike of Meghan had been obvious after his warning to Harry before their engagement. ‘It’s gone too quickly,’ he said, referring to his brother’s girlfriend as ‘the American actress’.

William’s reservations were shared by his wife and they will now fear that Meghan will be out for more revenge.

Even before the wedding, many royals had concluded that the clever and stylish Meghan lacked the qualities required for a life of public service.

Meghan would later tell the tennis champion Serena Williams that the Royal Family ‘hates’ ambition. That, she said, was associated with vulgar pushiness.

Before the wedding, Queen Elizabeth had been warned about Meghan’s unsuitability by a senior member of the Establishment. 

After a series of conversations with Meghan, he reported that she was unwilling to submit to the Royal Family’s hierarchy.

If she could not have number-one status, Meghan had hinted, she would return to California and exploit her status there. Once in self-imposed exile, of course, the Sussexes let loose.

During their ‘royal’ visit to Nigeria in 2024, for example, Meghan denounced the Royal Family as racist during a dinner with the country’s senior army officers by repeating her claim that a question had been raised about how dark her child’s skin would be.

At the same event, Harry spoke about his mother’s ‘murder’, leaving their hosts convinced that Diana was murdered by the Royal Family because she was pregnant with Dodi Fayed’s Muslim child.

As they return to live in the UK, the big question is: what will the champions of ‘Finding Freedom’ – the title of a 2020 hagiography – actually do here?

For Harry, the answer is clear. 

He will try to rebuild his career as a frontman for charities. With the Royal Family depleted, there is a dearth of young royals able to patronise the hundreds of charities desperately seeking publicity and wealthy benefactors. 

Harry, who spent ten years in the military, will also make overtures to his beloved Army in the hope that officers might be willing to forget his recent errors, not least his boast about killing 25 members of the Taliban while serving as a helicopter pilot in Afghanistan.

In parallel, he will seek to restore his life as an English gentleman, which will mean a return to country pursuits such as shooting pheasants and fishing in Scotland. 

He will also attempt to build bridges with old friends. More challenging will be Meghan’s fate in Britain. Relatively friendless before Megxit, she could well feel isolated without her American pals.

She will undoubtedly form relationships with the mothers of her children’s school friends. Thereafter, in her bid for reincarnation as a ‘good person’, Meghan is certain to discreetly seek charities willing to take the risk of enlisting her as a patron, despite her notoriety.

Despite her success in legal TV drama Suits and talk of an offer to return to acting, only the naive would take her prospects of a successful film career seriously.

She is an intelligent woman who will have learned lessons from the missteps she has taken and the media exposés she has been subjected to. 

However, if she is streetwise enough to forge a path of eventual redemption, it could be her greatest performance.

The golden opportunity is next year’s Invictus Games in Birmingham. Harry cares deeply about this cause, but his long-held plan to use the event to engineer his return to the Royal Family should not be underestimated. 

Ever since he chose the city as host, he has lobbied Buckingham Palace to ensure that the King attends.

Equally important is Meghan’s presence at the tournament. 

Despite the Games’ invaluable mission to celebrate the military’s sacrifice, media coverage of Invictus has been conditional on an endless stream of photographs of her.

Harry knows the success of the competition largely depends on Meghan being in the spotlight.

In the countdown to the event, I am sure he will use the Games to help orchestrate the rehabilitation of himself and his wife.

Harry’s gamble is enormous. Win or lose, this time next year he will have the option to either stay in Britain or return to the US. Only then will we find out if the Sussexes’ homecoming was born of a desire to put down roots here, or just a ruse to restore their status in California.

• Tom Bower is author of Betrayal: Power, Deceit And The Fight For The Future Of The Royal Family.