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Texas officer sues former department after life 'crushed' by dropped rape charge

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Texas officer sues former department after life 'crushed' by dropped rape charge

A Texas police officer is suing investigators for allegedly ignoring evidence that would have exonerated him from a rape accusation that he says ruined his life and took months to undo.

The officer, Freddie Douglas, was arrested in December after the girlfriend of one of his longtime friends accused both him and her boyfriend of raping her. The charges were eventually dropped, but Douglas’ lawsuit argues police were aware of evidence that would have exonerated the two men but refused to look into it and moved forward with the arrests regardless.

The girlfriend, identified in the complaint as Amanda Zawieruszynski, alleged that both Douglas and her boyfriend, John Marks, raped her at Marks’ home on Nov. 8, 2023. The complaint details that she “claimed that she tried to fight Marks off,” and that Marks then “pushed her over to Douglas who had sex with her while she was trying to fight him off.” Marks and Douglas were arrested in December and Marks immediately protested that surveillance footage from inside his home would contradict the accusation.

The lawsuit, filed by attorney Mike Kerensky, says both men did have sex with Zawieruszynski, but that it was entirely consensual.

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Freddie Douglas, left, stands with attorney Mike Kerensky on Aug. 22 in front of Manvel City Hall. (Fox News)

“Douglas met AZ [Zawieruszynski] for the first time at the home of John Marks.… It was the day before Freddie Douglas’ birthday. He and John Marks had planned to go to a Rockets game that night,” the lawsuit says, adding that Zawieruszynski texted Marks several times to arrange plans for her to meet them at his house after the game.

The lawsuit goes on to say that Zawieruszynski came to the house and the three had a few drinks, but “no one became intoxicated.”

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“At some point, John Marks and AZ started having consensual sex in the pool. After that, AZ wanted to have sex with Freddie Douglas and did. This sexual activity was completely consensual on the part of all involved,” the lawsuit says.

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Approximately a month later, the complaint states, Zawieruszynski went to the Manvel Police Department and claimed that the two men had raped her.

Fox News Digital’s efforts to reach Zawieruszynski, who is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit, were unsuccessful.

Douglas worked with the El Campo Police Department, and his chief informed him on Dec. 7 that the MPD were arresting him. According to the complaint, Douglas immediately informed the arresting officers that the footage from inside Marks’ home would exonerate him, but they moved forward with the arrest anyway.

Subsequently, other MPD officers were recorded entering Marks’ home and discussing the footage, but they made no apparent effort to investigate it, the lawsuit claims.

Freddie Douglas and his lawyer delivered the lawsuit to Manvel City Hall. (Fox News)

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Footage from Marks’ front door camera obtained by Fox News Digital shows police officers discussing the footage. One said Douglas and Marks had mentioned it during their arrests. Another officer pondered that perhaps Zawieruszynski “did consent.”

Footage shows that an officer noticed the door camera a few minutes later and they moved away, mentioning that it would be recording them.

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“Within minutes of Freddie Douglas’ arrest, the Manvel Police Department knew that there was objective evidence that would determine who was being truthful, AZ or Douglas and Marks,” Douglas’ lawsuit alleges.

The MPD contested the lawsuit’s version of events in a statement to Fox News Digital. MPD Chief Keith Taylor argued that “that there has been misinformation provided to the news outlets from these individuals and their attorneys representing them.”

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He said he could not discuss the specifics of the case due to the pending litigation, however. He nevertheless said it was “false” that MPD investigators knowingly disregarded evidence that would have exonerated Marks and Douglas.

Police officers with the Manvel Police Department discuss Freddie Douglas’ case outside John Marks’ home. (Fox News)

“This is a false claim as this evidence was presented to the district attorney’s office and the Grand Jury. This is required by law; all evidence including exculpatory evidence be presented. It will further be shown through the legal process these claims and allegations are false,” Taylor said.

The charges against Douglas and Marks were dropped after Douglas approached the Brazoria County district attorney. The DA’s office says Manvel police never approached them about the case and that if they had, the office would never have recommended charges.

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When the MPD pressed on with the case regardless, the DA convened a grand jury. It ultimately threw out the charges.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Long Beach man arrested for murder in deadly hit-and-run crash

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Long Beach man arrested for murder in deadly hit-and-run crash

A 23-year-old man from Long Beach is in custody following a deadly hit-and-run crash in Riverside County Saturday.

The crash happened around 8:09 a.m. near the intersection of Dinah Shore Drive and George Montgomery Way in the city of Rancho Mirage, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Deputies responded and found one of the involved drivers, 57-year-old Teresa Bowlin of Cathedral City, dead at the scene. The other driver, Tyler Conant of Long Beach, ran from the scene of the crash, according to the sheriff’s department.

23-year-old Tyler Conant of Long Beach was arrested for murder following a deadly hit-and-run in Riverside County on May 16, 2025. (Riverside County Sheriff’s Department)

“During the investigation, it was determined that Conant was under the influence of alcohol [at the time of the crash],” the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said.

Conant was arrested and booked into the John Benoit Detention Center for murder and felony hit-and-run.

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The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Deputy Bret Meservey at (760) 836-1600.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Long Beach to hold new pride festival after previous one canceled

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Long Beach to hold new pride festival after previous one canceled

Long Beach will hold a pride festival this weekend after the one they originally had scheduled was canceled.

Long Beach city officials said the celebration was nixed after the nonprofit that organizes it, Long Beach Pride, failed to submit the required information for an event permit. 

It was supposed to start on Friday and last through Sunday.

“Despite continued collaboration and multiple deadline notices, the City did not receive the required documentation needed to complete safety reviews, inspect critical event infrastructure, such as the stage, electrical systems and tent, and emergency exiting plans to ensure compliance with public safety standards,” the city of Long Beach said in a statement. “With event programming scheduled to begin on May 15 at 5 p.m. with Teen Pride and essential information still outstanding, there is no longer sufficient time to safely permit the festival this year.” 

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Officials noted that they were working to see if a “shortened event” could be held this weekend, and indeed, an agreement was reached to stage a one-day gathering on Sunday. 

Billed as “Canceled? Never Heard of Her!” and emceed by comedian and drag queen Jewels, it will still bring the city’s LGBTQ community together after Sunday morning’s Long Beach Pride Parade, which was not canceled.

“Long Beach Pride weekend is a culmination of celebrations put on by our community, including our many vibrant restaurants, bars and businesses, and that will never change,” Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson said in a press release issued late Saturday night. “Along with the Pride Parade, we are proud to join the party with this new event that reaffirms what this City has always stood for: that every person belongs here.”

“The festival may have been canceled, but Long Beach drag artists don’t cancel joy,” added Jewels Long Beach.

The one-day “Canceled? Never Heard of Her!” festival will take place at Bixby Park from noon to 7 p.m. Sunday. A free event, it will include music by several performers and a drag show. 

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More information can be found here.  

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Los Angeles, Ca

L.A. Jewish institution among targets of foiled terrorist attack, U.S. officials say

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L.A. Jewish institution among targets of foiled terrorist attack, U.S. officials say

A Jewish institution in Los Angeles was among the locations targeted in a recently foiled terrorism plot, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton announced this week.

The thwarted terrorist attacks were the result of the recent arrest of Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, an Iraqi national and senior member of Kata’ib Hizballah, U.S. officials said.

“Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, a commander for the terrorist organization, Kata’ib Hizballah, faces serious charges for his role in numerous attacks against U.S. interests across the globe, including his efforts to kill on U.S. soil,” Clayton said. “As alleged, for years, Al-Saadi committed himself to furthering the terrorist goals of Kata’ib Hizballah and the IRGC, two terrorist organizations dedicated to harming the United States and its allies.”

Al-Saadi recently attempted to carry out attacks in the U.S., officials said, including attacks at Jewish cultural places of interest in New York, Los Angeles and Scottsdale, Ariz.

“Al-Saadi attempted to disrupt American society through intimidation and violence,” a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office reads. “… Those who engage in or support terrorism against Americans and on U.S. soil should take note:  the whole of the federal government is committed to dismantling terrorist organizations and bringing their members to justice.”

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In a three-month period, Al-Saadi allegedly directed 18 terrorist attacks throughout Europe, including bombings, arson, and assaults targeting American citizens and points of interest. Prior to his arrest, national security officials say he was planning similar attacks on U.S. soil. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said that  Al-Saadi “presented a serious threat to our national security.”

The European attacks included the bombing of the Bank of New York Mellon, an American bank, in Amsterdam on March 15. On April 29, two Jewish men, one of whom was a dual U.S.-British citizen, were stabbed and seriously injured in London.

In 2020, Al-Saadi took to social media, calling for others to attack and kill Americans in retribution for the deaths of Iranian military officer Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi military commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, U.S. officials said. In more recent months, Al-Saadi allegedly used social media to encourage the killing of Americans and Jews to further the terrorist goals of Kata’ib Hizballah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

“In or about February 2026, for example, AL-SAADI posted on one of his social media accounts a message in Arabic, which read in part, ‘Do not abandon the blood of your Imam of the time, oh Shiites of Iraq. Kill everyone who supports America and Israel. Do not leave any of them remaining. Civil and military targets, as well as voices of discord, kill them everywhere.’” U.S. officials said.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch confirmed that one of the U.S. targets was a Manhattan synagogue. On April 3, Al-Saadi allegedly spoke to an undercover law enforcement officer whom Al-Saadi believed could carry out attacks in the U.S. That same day, Al-Saadi allegedly texted the undercover officers photographs and maps showing the exact location of a prominent Jewish synagogue in New York City. 

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Officials have not said what specific locations in L.A. and Arizona were targeted by the terrorist group.

Al-Saadi now faces numerous charges for these crimes in U.S. court. If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison.

The case is under investigation by the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is comprised of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the NYPD, the FBI Washington Field Office, Counterterrorism Division, and more than 50 other federal, state, and local agencies. Investigators also received help from the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterterrorism Section, the Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

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