CNN – National

By Alexandra Meeks, CNN At this time of year, it’s easy to get transfixed by the beauty of nature. Next season’s flowers are blooming, leaves are turning different hues of yellow, and cooler weather is reminding us that the holidays are almost here. Nature is full of unexpected beauty, too — and sometimes photographers are

By Nouran Salahieh, Andy Rose and Amanda Musa, CNN The former San Antonio police officer who was charged and arrested Tuesday in the shooting of an unarmed 17-year-old at a McDonald’s parking lot was released early Wednesday on bond, according to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office. James Brennand turned himself in Tuesday night on two

By Dianne Gallagher, CNN Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre says in a new statement he is being “unjustly smeared in the media” and wants to “set the record straight” over his connection to a massive welfare fraud scheme in his home state of Mississippi. The former National Football League star for the Green Bay

By Dakin Andone, Amir Vera and Alta Spells, CNN A 12-person jury will go into a second day of deliberations to determine whether to recommend death or life in prison for the Parkland, Florida, school shooter. Broward Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer dismissed jurors Wednesday evening. They will return Thursday at 9 a.m. ET. Nikolas Cruz,

By Kacey Cherry and Taylor Romine, CNN An officer in Baytown, Texas, who fatally shot a woman with schizophrenia in 2019 was found not guilty of aggravated assault by a public servant on Tuesday, a court document shows. Officer Juan Delacruz shot Pamela Shantay Turner, 45, after initially trying to arrest her because she had

By David Blank A popular North Carolina Wendy’s employee will soon be celebrating his retirement. But now, it’s on his own terms. The fast food restaurant, located in the town of Stanley, around 18 miles outside of Charlotte, was under scrutiny after firing Dennis Peek, an employee of over 20 years with Down syndrome. Peek,

By Cheri Mossburg, CNN A Fresno County, California, woman last seen more than two months ago was found dead inside her crashed car at the bottom of a cliff in the Sierra Nevada foothills, officials said. Jolissa Fuentes, 22, was at a family gathering on August 6 when she drove home in the overnight hours

By Eric Levenson, Ashley Killough and Chuck Johnston, CNN The former Los Angeles Angels employee who provided the drugs that resulted in the 2019 overdose death of Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs was sentenced to 22 years in prison on Tuesday on drug charges. Eric Prescott Kay, the former communications director of the Angels, faced between

By Jalen Brown, CNN Nury Martinez resigned Monday as president of the Los Angeles City Council after she made disdainful and racist comments about the Black child of a fellow councilmember. “As someone who believes deeply in the empowerment of communities of color, I recognize my comments undercut that goal,” Martinez said in a statement.

By Eric Levenson and Brian Vitagliano, CNN Baltimore prosecutors on Tuesday dropped all charges against Adnan Syed, the man who spent over two decades behind bars for the 1999 killing of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee and whose murder case was featured in the landmark podcast “Serial.” Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby said Tuesday

By Eric Levenson, Josh Campbell and Andy Rose, CNN The former San Antonio police officer who shot an unarmed 17-year-old eating in his car at a McDonald’s parking lot last week is facing two counts of aggravated assault by a public servant, the police department announced Tuesday. The officer, identified as James Brennand, turned himself in

By Amanda Musa, Jennifer Henderson and David Williams, CNN Students at the University of Florida protested the visit of Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska — the likely new president of the university — to the school Monday. Students protested Sasse during an open forum on the university’s campus in Gainesville on Monday afternoon, according

By Michelle Watson, Holly Yan and Andi Babineau, CNN A mysterious carbon monoxide leak at a Pennsylvania daycare has prompted local officials to suspend the facility’s daycare license. At least 32 children and staff at Happy Smiles Learning Center were rushed to hospitals Tuesday after a child became unconscious and firefighters discovered “dangerously high levels