Austin, TX
Texas prosecutor is fined for allowing murder charges against a woman who self-managed an abortion
A Texas prosecutor has been disciplined for allowing murder charges to be filed against a woman who self-managed an abortion in a case that sparked national outrage.
Starr County District Attorney Gocha Ramirez agreed to pay a $1,250 fine and have his license held in a probated suspension for 12 months in a settlement reached with the State Bar of Texas. Ramirez will be able to continue practicing law as long as he complies with the terms of the January settlement, which was first reported by news outlets on Thursday.
The case stirred anger among abortion rights advocates when the 26-year-old woman was arrested in April 2022 and charged with murder in “the death of an individual by self-induced abortion.”
Under the abortion restrictions in Texas and other states, women who seek abortion are exempt from criminal charges.
Measures to punish such women — rather than health care providers and other helpers — have not picked up traction in legislatures where the idea has been raised.
Ramirez announced the charges would be dropped just days after the woman’s arrest but not before she’d spent two nights in jail and was identified by name as a murder suspect.
But a State Bar investigation found that he had permitted an assistant to take the case to a grand jury, and knowingly made a false statement when he said he hadn’t known about the charges before they were filed.
“I made a mistake in that case,” Ramirez told The Associated Press in a phone interview Thursday. He said he agreed to the punishment because it allows his office to keep running and him to keep prosecuting cases. He said no one else faces sanctions.
Authorities did not release details about the self-managed abortion. But across the U.S., the majority of abortions are now completed using medications at home or some other private setting.
In 2022, Texas was operating under a law that bans abortion once cardiac activity can be detected, which is often before a woman realizes she’s pregnant. Instead of relying on charges brought by officials, the law’s enforcement mechanism encourages private citizens to file lawsuits against doctors or others who help women obtain abortions.
Months after the Texas woman’s arrest, the U.S. Supreme Court ended the nationwide right to abortion, clearing the way for most Republican-controlled states to impose deeper restrictions. Texas and 13 other states now enforce bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
AUSTIN, Texas — A man walking his dog with his son was fatally shot by a neighbor Friday evening in Northwest Austin, police said.
Billy Carlisle, 41, was shot at the intersection of Gardenridge Hollow and Wallace Drive at approximately 6:06 p.m. May 8. Austin-Travis County EMS attempted lifesaving measures, but Carlisle was pronounced dead at 6:45 p.m.
Hunter Buchmeyer, 36, was taken into custody in connection with the shooting.
According to APD, Carlisle was walking his dog with his son when he and Buchmeyer, also walking his dog, got into a verbal altercation. The two neighbors had “prior history,” APD said.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | APD investigating deadly shooting in NW Austin; suspect in custody
The dispute escalated to the point that Buchmeyer called 911 to report the altercation before shooting Carlisle. According to police, Buchmeyer yelled at someone to “get back” before the call disconnected.
Buchmeyer remained at the scene and attempted CPR on Carlisle before officers arrived.
No charges have been filed. APD said the investigation remains open.
The case is being investigated as Austin’s 23rd homicide of 2026.
Anyone with information is asked to contact APD at 512-974-TIPS or submit an anonymous tip through Capital Area Crime Stoppers at austincrimestoppers.org or 512-472-8477. A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for information leading to an arrest.
There was a significant reduction in the number of antisemitic incidents in Rhode Island in 2025, according to a national Jewish advocacy group.
According to the Anti-Defamation League’s latest Audit of Antisemitic Incidents, there were 26 antisemitic incidents in the state last year. That’s down from the 52 incidents counted by the group in 2024.
Samantha Joseph, New England regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, says a big reason for the reduction is a steep decline in antisemitism on college campuses.
“It shows that campus administrators are taking their responsibilities very seriously to provide a safe environment for all of their students,” said Joseph.
Brown University had over $500 million in federal funding frozen by the Trump administration last year following investigations into alleged antisemitism on campus. The funding was restored after Brown reached a settlement with the administration.
The reduction in antisemitic incidents in Rhode Island reflects a wider trend in New England as a whole. According to the ADL’s report, there were 400 antisemitic incidents in the region in 2025, compared to 638 the previous year.
While she’s pleased about the overall drop in antisemitic incidents in Rhode Island, Joseph says a number of concerning trends continue to persist. In particular, the state is still seeing more anti-Jewish incidents than it did prior to the October 7 attacks on Israel that launched the Gaza War in 2023.
Joseph is also concerned about the violent nature of local incidents of antisemitism.
“Even though overall incidents are down, assaults are up and assaults with a deadly weapon are up significantly,” said Joseph. “Our communities remain concerned for their safety, and our work is far from done.”
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Severe thunderstorms are possible Sunday evening as a cold front arrives in Central Texas. KXAN’s First Warning Weather Team will keep you updated on the weather coverage.
Risks to be aware of are damaging wind gusts that could reach as high as 60 to 75 mph and large hail up to quarter size.
Weather Resources:
Live Updates:
5:22 p.m.: A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is issued for all counties except for Milam County.
3:51 p.m.: A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for Mason, San Saba, and Lampasas County until 9:00 p.m.
3:30 p.m.: The primary risk for Sunday’s severe weather is damaging wind gusts which could cause power outages.
3:26 p.m.: Storms will likely move toward the I-35 corridor around 6 p.m. Most of the storms will enter the Hill Country around 6 p.m. and the Austin metro counties after 8 p.m.
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