Arkansas
Murder charge dropped for Arkansas sheriff nominee who killed teen daughter’s rapist
A judge tossed a murder charge against an Arkansas sheriff nominee who was about to go on trial for killing his 14-year-old daughter’s rapist.
The case against Aaron Spencer was dismissed by a judge on Thursday afternoon after law enforcement lost a dash camera memory card that may have captured the fatal October 2024 shooting of 67-year-old Michael Fosler.
“The court finds that conduct by law enforcement was so egregious that dismissal of this case is warranted,” wrote Special Circuit Court Judge Ralph Wilson Jr.
The development comes just a few weeks before Spencer was slated to go to trial on a second-degree murder charge for allegedly gunning down Fosler on Oct. 8, 2024 after catching him driving off with his daughter — whom the sicko had already been charged with grooming and abusing.
Spencer woke up around 1 a.m. to find his then-13-year-old daughter had vanished. He soon found her in the passenger seat of the car Fosler was driving.
He then forced the truck off the road and allegedly shot the accused sexual abuser, according to court documents.
Prosecutors argued that Spencer planned the murder and could have called the cops during the car chase instead of taking matters into his own hands.
He pleaded not guilty to the crime, maintaining he acted accordingly to protect his child from a predator.
Spencer’s attorneys have not denied that he shot and killed Fosler — and the protective dad said the incident spurred him to run for sheriff in Lonoke County, Arkansas.
“I’m the father who acted to protect his daughter when the system failed,” Spencer said in the video statement to launch his campaign.
He won the Republican primary for Lonoke County sheriff in March and is expected to win the general election in the overwhelmingly conservative area east of Little Rock, the New York Times reported.
“No member of this family should ever again be forced to walk into a courtroom and relive this horror,” Spencer’s attorney, Erin Cassinelli, said in a statement to the Associated Press.
“This father should have never been charged for protecting his child.”
With Post wires
Arkansas
Stockton rappers plead guilty to possessing machine gun, marijuana in Arkansas traffic stop
LITTLE ROCK, AR — Two well-known Northern California rappers have pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the 2025 traffic stop where an Arkansas state trooper found a stolen Glock pistol and about five ounces of marijuana, court records show.
Jaymani “EBK Jaaybo” Gorman, 22, and Xavier “Baby Maxx” Jones, 19, pleaded guilty to possession of a machine gun and possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute it. The gun charge carries up to 10 years but the actual prison term they’ll get is up in the air; no specific sentence has been agreed to and their sentencing date wasn’t announced, court records show.
Gorman and Jones entered their guilty pleas on Thursday, weeks after Jones signaled his intent to plead guilty, backed out, then changed his mind again. Both men were scheduled to go on trial before reaching an agreement. In light of their guilty pleas, prosecutors dismissed several other federal charges.
Gorman and Jones were arrested last year during a traffic stop in Arkansas with a Glock pistol illegally modified to shoot fully automatic, about five ounces of marijuana, and $8,534 in cash, according to court records. The money and a Luis Vuitton handbag have been seized by the federal government, court records show.
Oakland police say the gun has been “forensically linked” to a February 2025 shooting where a rival rapper, Jarico “Dreamllife Rizzy” Anderson, was shot and wounded as he drove on Highway 24 towards Orinda in Oakland. No charges have been filed in that shooting. Police have named Anderson as a member of a San Francisco gang and both Jones and Gorman as members of a rival gang in Stockton.
Anderson has since been hit with federal charges in the Bay Area for allegedly having a gun as a felon. A judge has released him while the case is pending, court records show.
Arkansas
Arkansas cotton, soybean planting pushes toward finish as June ‘Acreage’ surveys get underway – Pine Bluff Commercial
Arkansas
Texas bee swarm hospitalizes 3; Arkansas doctors explain warning signs of severe reactions
LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — A bee swarm attack in Texas sent three people, including a firefighter, to the hospital this week, while Arkansas medical experts said most bee stings are not dangerous but can become life-threatening in certain cases.
Authorities in San Antonio said the three victims were hospitalized after being swarmed and stung by aggressive bees. Officials have not released details on what triggered the attack or the species involved.
Doctors in Arkansas said the biggest risk from a bee sting is not the sting itself, but a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis.
“The concern when you have a bee sting is if you develop a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis,” said Dr. Garrett Lewis, chief medical officer at St. Vincent Infirmary.
Lewis said warning signs include throat swelling, difficulty breathing and feeling faint, which require immediate medical attention.
“If you’re experiencing any throat swelling or severe shortness of breath, you need to seek medical care immediately,” Lewis said.
He added that people who are stung multiple times may also be at risk even without a known allergy, because each sting introduces additional venom into the body.
In the event of a swarm, Lewis said the priority should be escaping the area as quickly as possible and removing any stingers once safe.
“Seek water, seek indoor,” Lewis said. “Once you’re away from the swarm, you want to make sure that you are removing any stingers that might still be in your skin.”
Lewis also said symptoms such as dizziness, nausea and widespread hives can indicate a serious reaction.
While the Texas incident resulted in hospitalizations, a recent swarm outside a Little Rock business ended without injuries after bees briefly gathered on a tree limb before being safely removed by a beekeeper.
Lewis said the best prevention is awareness of surroundings and understanding when medical care is needed after a sting.
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