Northeast
Connecticut man found not guilty of gang-related murder after spending decade in jail
Connecticut man fights two carjackers
Westport Police Department responded to a carjacking in which two suspects assaulted the owner of an Aston Martin in his garage in Norwalk, CT. (Credit: Westport Police Department)
- Donald Raynor, 38, was acquitted of a murder charge and released after a third trial, prompted by the state Supreme Court overturning his conviction.
- Raynor was arrested in 2013 for the 2007 drive-by shooting of Delano Gray.
- Despite a hung jury in the first trial, Raynor was convicted in the second trial in 2015 and sentenced to 60 years.
A Connecticut man who denies having led a violent Hartford gang has been acquitted of a murder charge and freed following a third trial that resulted from the state Supreme Court overturning his conviction.
Donald Raynor, now 38, broke down in tears when the state court jury announced its not guilty verdict Monday, said his lawyer, Trent LaLima. He was then freed after having spent the past decade detained on bail.
“I feel great, but I want to shine a light on how these people overreach and it’s not a fair process,” Raynor said in a phone interview Tuesday. “And how the jury doesn’t seem to understand the full duties that they have to protect the citizens from arbitrary power of prosecution and judges.”
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LaLima added, “Donald Raynor has been waiting 10 years in prison for a jury to say not guilty and finally that day has come.”
Donald Raynor, 38, broke down in tears when the state court jury announced its not guilty verdict Monday, said his lawyer, Trent LaLima. He was then freed after having spent the past decade detained on bail. (Fox News)
Raynor was arrested in a cold case and charged with murder in 2013 in the drive-by fatal shooting of 22-year-old Delano Gray in 2007. Police alleged Raynor led the violent Money Green/Bedroc gang that had a “hit squad” and trafficked drugs in the city’s North End, while Gray was a rival gang member.
Raynor’s first trial ended in a hung jury. He was convicted of murder in a second trial in 2015 and sentenced to 60 years in prison.
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The state Supreme Court in December 2020 overturned the conviction and ordered a third trial. Justices said in a 6-0 ruling that the trial judge improperly denied Raynor’s request for a hearing to challenge the ballistics evidence in the case and improperly allowed evidence of alleged crimes by Raynor for which he was never charged.
Raynor maintained his innocence since being arrested. LaLima claimed the state’s key witness was facing other murder and shooting charges and implicated Raynor in Gray’s shooting to get a better plea deal.
The state Division of Criminal Justice, which includes prosecutors, said in a statement that it “respects the jury’s decision and thanks them for their service.”
Now that he is free, Raynor said he wants to study Islam and start a dump truck company. In the meantime, he said he is getting reacclimated to society.
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The Boston Red Sox will return to action on Friday to kick off the second half of the 2026 Major League Baseball season with a doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The last few weeks have been incredible for Boston and have really gotten the organization right back into the thick of the playoff race. Beforehand, the Red Sox looked like one of the worst teams in baseball. Now, Boston is 46-48 and has won 14 of its last 16 games. It’s why you play the games. The MLB season is long and full of ups and downs. Sure, the first few months of the season were full of many down moments for the Red Sox, but they flipped a switch, got hot, and now are right back in the mix.
Now, there are just over two weeks to go until the 2026 trade deadline and Boston should be looking to add. But who should the Red Sox be targeting? Here are four intriguing options for Craig Breslow and the Red Sox’s front office to target.
Gleyber Torres — Detroit Tigers
The former longtime New York Yankee is a member of the Detroit Tigers and was slashing .280/.395/.395 with a .790 OPS, four homers and 18 RBIs before the All-Star break. Torres is on the Injured List, but has already begun a rehab assignment. Torres has the type of right-handed pop Boston’s lineup needs. Plus, he’s just 29 years old.
Luis Arráez — San Francisco Giants
Luis Arráez isn’t a right-handed bat and doesn’t have much power, but this is a guy with three batting titles under his belt and has a shot at another one. He’s batting .330 right now and would go a long way for Boston by getting on base towards the top of the lineup.
James Wood — Washington Nationals
This would be a pipe dream type of move. Wood is under team control for four more seasons and is just 23 years old, and yet he’s already a two-time All-Star. He blasted 31 homers last year and already has 28 this season in 97 games played. If the Red Sox could get a bat like his, they’d be all set. But it would cost quite a bit to pry him from Washington.
Isaac Paredes — Houston Astros
There are few players who were connected to Boston more this past offseason than Isaac Paredes. The Astros don’t look like a team that is going to sell, but Paredes is still worth a call. Houston traded Lance McCullers Jr. to the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday in a salary dump.
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Two people were arrested earlier this week following a drug bust in Downtown Pittsburgh, police said.
Pittsburgh Police said Wednesday that Kyree Hairston-Mitchell, 24, and Mya Bryant, 23, were each arrested Monday following a drug bust at a residence along Stanwix Street along with the search of two vehicles.
Police said that detectives from the bureau’s Violence Prevention Unit arrested both individuals after executing warrants and searching the home and the vehicles where they discovered a large amount of drugs, cash, and a gun.
According to police, detectives recovered $12,000 in cash, heroin, marijuana, cocaine, prescription drugs, and a handgun.
Hairston-Mitchell and Bryant are each facing numerous drug-related felony charges, according to court records.
Court documents show that Hairston-Mitchell is being held in the Allegheny County Jail after being unable to post $25,000 bail. Bryant was arraigned and released on nonmonetary bond, court records show.
Both individuals are set to face a preliminary hearing later this month.
Police said that a passenger in one of the vehicles involved in the arrests was taken into custody on a warrant out of Ohio.
See the moment a husky shields child from bear
A husky jumped into action to protect a child as a bear charged at them through the yard in Connecticut.
If you’re looking for the best barbecue restaurant in the state, you may have to drive to the state’s capital.
Business Insider identified the most beloved barbecue spot in each state, including Connecticut.
“Our list includes barbecue destinations with historical or regional significance and devoted national or local followings,” Business Insider said. “Many of the spots or their pitmasters have won major accolades, and some have appeared on mainstream TV shows.”
Business Insider’s choice for the most iconic place for barbecue in Connecticut is a specific location of a chain restaurant that has multiple stores in the Constitution State.
Here’s what Business Insider had to say about Bear’s Smokehouse Barbecue, and why it might be worth the extra trip to Hartford, Connecticut.
Bear’s Smokehouse — Hartford, Connecticut
Business Insider said the Hartford location is the most iconic Bear’s Smokehouse in Connecticut. However, Bear’s has locations in Windsor, New Haven, South Windsor, and Storrs (although that one is in a University of Connecticut Student Union).
“Local outlet Hartford Courant named Bear’s Smokehouse the best ribs and best food truck in the state,” Business Insider said. “USA Today also named it one of the best restaurants in the country in 2026 (albeit, one of the North Carolina locations).”
Chain restaurant or not, this location’s menu appears to have all the goods that make a barbecue restaurant great: beef brisket, burnt ends, pulled pork, and turkey breast, all done up in a Kansas-City style of barbecue that would make Ted Lasso proud.
They also offer some innovative takes on hearty dishes like poutine with Bear Style Poutine, which comes with fries, spicy cheese curds, brisket gravy, and your choice of meat.
You can find Bear’s Smokehouse at 25 Front St, Hartford, Connecticut.
They open at 11 a.m. on weekdays and weekends but their closing hours vary depending on the day.
Rin Velasco is a trending reporter. She can be reached at rvelasco@usatodayco.com.
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