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Democratic NC lawmaker foregoes re-election, but considers statewide office

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A North Carolina Democratic legislator won’t seek reelection to the state Senate next year after recent redistricting by the Republican-controlled General Assembly places her residence in a heavily GOP district where a Republican incumbent also lives.

But Sen. Natasha Marcus of Mecklenburg County told WFAE-FM that instead, she’s considering a run for statewide office, although she didn’t say which one. Candidate filing begins Dec. 4 for the 2024 elections.

The state Senate map enacted last month puts Marcus and Republican Sen. Vickie Sawyer of Iredell County in the same 41st Senate District north of Charlotte. The North Carolina Constitution says someone must live in the district for which they seek to represent.

NC DEMOCRAT FOREGOES RE-ELECTION OVER ALLEGED GOP GRIDLOCK: ‘WORSE THAN A DENTAL APPOINTMENT’

The redistricting did create another Senate district in northwest and central Charlotte that appears overwhelmingly favorable to Democrats and for which Marcus could run for if she moved there.

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Democratic North Carolina state Sen. Natasha Marcus speaks on a Senate redistricting bill in Raleigh, North Carolina, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Chris Seward, FILE)

Legislative colleagues “definitely emphasized this idea of we can’t let them win, we can’t let them do this to you and kick you out and make you leave the Senate,” Marcus said.

But Marcus decided against another Senate run, saying in part she didn’t want to leave her home in Davidson, where she raised her children. Marcus, in her third two-year term, has been a frequent critic of Republican policies such as additional restrictions on abortion and voting during debate in the Senate, where Republicans hold a narrow veto-proof majority. Marcus could also consider running for a politically competitive open House seat in northern Mecklenburg County.

The Senate map also put incumbent Democrats Lisa Grafstein and Jay Chaudhuri in the same Wake County district. But Grafstein, in her first term, announced that she would run for a different Senate seat in the county.

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Widower of 73-year-old New Orleans woman who was dragged, killed by carjacking teens sues their parents

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The widower of the 73-year-old woman who was killed in a deadly carjacking last year in New Orleans, is suing the parents of the teenagers responsible for the victim’s death.

Linda Frickey was killed during a March 2022 carjacking after four teenagers dragged the woman behind her own vehicle, severing her arm. An 18-year-old man was convicted of second-degree murder and three girls aged 15 to 17 pleaded guilty to manslaughter in connection with the fatal carjacking.

The teenagers sped away with Ms. Frickey in the car, trapped by her seatbelt, until one of her arms was severed. She succumbed to her injuries a short time later.

NEW ORLEANS TEENS PLEAD GUILTY IN CARJACKING, DRAGGING DEATH OF WOMAN, GET 20 YEARS

A collection of flowers and a cross with a halo are seen at the location where the body of Linda Frickey was recovered after she was carjacked and dragged to her death in New Orleans. (AP)

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Now, Rickey Frickey is seeking $50,000 in damages for his wife’s brutal death, loss of income and emotional distress, according to The Times-Picayune.

Mr. Frickey’s sister, Kathy Richard, told nola.com that her brother is planning to file the civil lawsuit against the parents to show that parents have accountability over their children and to “bring awareness to the public that if your children commit crimes, you are liable.”

The lawsuit was originally brought in March but was delayed until after the criminal case of the teens concluded. The final conviction among the teenagers, 18-year-old John Honore, was handed down earlier this week, and could face up to life in prison after he is sentenced in January. The three girls — Briniyah Baker, Lenyra Theophile and Mar’Qel Curtis — pleaded guilty last week and were sentenced to 20 years in prison.

NEW ORLEANS-AREA WOMAN, 73, DRAGGED TO DEATH DURING CARJACKING, FOUR TEENS ARRESTED, COPS SAY

Four juvenile suspects arrested in carjacking death of 73-year-old woman (New Orleans Police Department)

Four teenagers who were responsible for the carjacking death of 73-year-old Linda Frickey. (New Orleans Police Department)

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The victim was dragged more than 200 yards during the violent carjacking in which a victim recalled on the witness stand in Honore’s trial that Mrs. Frickey was “skinned alive” and “tortured,” according to WVUE. The prosecution said video evidence shows Honore carrying out the vicious killing even as Mrs. Frickey, tethered by a seatbelt, pleaded for her life.

“The defendant, after pepper spraying her, grabs her, pulls her out of her car, puts heel to her face, stomps her on the head, gets on top, punches her, gets into the driver seat and you will see decisions made that ended Frickey’s life,” prosecutors said during the trial. “She was screaming and pleading for him to stop. [The defendant] dragged her over 700 feet – or two football fields.”

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DeSantis says Newsom is ‘obviously preparing’ to run for president after ‘Hannity’ debate

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Saturday said that California Gov. Gavin Newsom, with whom he engaged in a feisty debate on “Hannity” this week, is “obviously preparing” to run for president — despite denials from his Democrat rival.

DeSantis was in Sioux City, Iowa and took aim at what he said were the “failed” policies in the liberal California state, as he had done at the televised debate between him and Newsom on Thursday night.

“It’s the policies. It’s the policies that are driving people out. This is ultimately the choice for the country: Are we going to embrace freedom like Florida has or are we going to embrace failure? The same policies that have failed in Illinois and California and New York aren’t all of a sudden going to work well nationally,” he said.

NEWSOM, DESANTIS DEBATE GETS HEATED OVER COVID, TAX POLICIES 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (Fox News Digital)

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“What they’ve done in California is the petri dish for what I think the Democrats would want to do nationally,” he said, before speculating as to which potential president that would be under.

“Maybe that’s a [President] Biden second term. Maybe that’s [Vice-President] Harris, Maybe it’s Newsom,” he said. “He’s obviously preparing to potentially go in. I think America saw, though, that what he’s selling is not something that is very appetizing.”

LIBERAL COLUMNIST PRAISES ‘PATRIOTIC’ NEWSOM FOR ‘SHADOW CAMPAIGN,’ SLAMS DEMOCRATS FOR BACKING BIDEN

Newsom has been the subject of significant speculation about a potential presidential run, but has repeatedly denied that he is gearing up for a White House run. DeSantis, meanwhile, is running for the Republican nomination in 2024, although polls show him significantly behind former President Donald Trump.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (Fox News Digital)

Newsom took a jab at DeSantis over his standing in the polls in the debate on Thursday night.

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“There are profound differences tonight, and I look forward to engaging them. But there’s one thing…that we have in common, is neither of us will be the nominee for our party in 2024,” he said.

DeSantis later accused Newsom of wanting to run for president: “You just won’t admit it,” he said.



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Florida man arrested after allegedly stabbing woman several times because ‘he wanted to’: authorities

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A Florida man has been arrested after he allegedly stabbed a woman several times with a knife “because he wanted to” after following her out of a Naples Walgreens, according to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. 

Kenneth Bryan, 34, was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after Sunday’s incident in the Walgreen’s parking lot, according to arrest records. 

Shortly after 2 p.m., deputies were called to Walgreens for reports of a woman being stabbed several times with a knife after being followed by a man into the parking lot. 

Authorities told FOX 35 Orlando that the woman noticed Bryan following her, and she tried to speed up to get away, but was unsuccessful. 

FLORIDA WOMAN ATTEMPTED TO EAT COUNTERFEIT CASH AFTER BEING BUSTED FOR WALMART THEFT: REPORT

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Kenneth Bryan booking photo (Collier County Sheriff’s Office)

Bryan allegedly stabbed the woman twice in the back. The victim told officials that she originally thought she was being punched until she saw blood coming from one of the wounds. She was treated on the scene and declined to be transported to the hospital, according to officials.

When questioned by deputies about the motive for the stabbing, Bryan gave a disturbing answer, according to the arrest affidavit. 

FLORIDA WOMAN ALLEGEDLY STABS BOYFRIEND IN EYE WITH RABIES NEEDLES FOR LOOKING AT OTHER WOMEN

Walgreens store exterior

An exterior of a Walgreens store. (iStock)

“I asked him why he did that. [Bryan] stated, ‘Because I wanted to,’” the affidavit said. 

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Bryan was placed in police custody and transported to the Naples Jail Center. 

FLORIDA PEST CONTROL WORKER ARRESTED FOR ‘DISGUSTING’ ACT TOWARD WOMEN, INCLUDING 76-YEAR-OLD: AUTHORITIES

Collier County Sheriff's Office SUV

According to an arrest affidavit from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, a Naples man was arrested after stabbing a woman outside a Walgreens on Sunday afternoon. (Collier County Sheriff’s Office)

“The safety of our patients, customers and team members is our priority. We are cooperating with law enforcement regarding this incident,” a Walgreens spokesperson told Fox News Digital. 

According to jail records, Bryan had several prior arrests, including charges for aggravated battery, aggravated assault and battery dating back to 2014.  

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