Le Journal

A former Uvalde police officer was acquitted Wednesday of charges that he failed in his duties to confront the gunman at Robb Elementary during the critical first minutes of one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. Jurors deliberated for more than seven hours before finding Adrian Gonzales, 52, not guilty in the first trial over the hesitant law enforcement response to the 2022 attack, in which a teenage gunman killed 19 fourth-graders and two teachers. Had he been convicted, he faced up two years in prison on more than two dozen charges of child abandonment and endangerment. Gonzales appeared to fight back tears and hugged his lawyers after the verdict was read in a courtroom in Corpus Christi, hundreds of miles from Uvalde, where his legal team said a fair trial would not have been possible. “Thank you for the jury for considering all the evidence,” Gonzales told reporters. Asked if he wanted to say anything to the families, he declined. Several family members of the victims sat in silence in the courtroom, some crying or wiping away tears. “Faith is fractured, but you never lose faith,” said Jesse Rizo, whose 9-year-old niece Jackie Cazares was killed. He said he was frustrated by the verdict and hopes the state will press ahead with the trial of former Uvalde schools Police Chief Pete Arredondo, the only other officer who has been charged over the police response. “Those children in the cemetery can’t speak for themselves,” Rizo said. Jurors declined to speak to reporters while leaving. Arredondo’s trial has not yet been set. Paul Looney, his attorney, told The Associated Press that he believes the verdict will result in prosecutors dropping the case against his client. “These people have been vilified, and it’s horrible what’s been done to them. These guys didn’t do anything wrong,” Looney said. A rare trial ends in acquittal The nearly three-week trial was an unusual case in the U.S. of an officer facing criminal charges on accusations of failing to stop a crime and protect lives. The proceedings included emotional testimony from teachers who were shot and survived. Prosecutors argued that Gonzales abandoned his training and did nothing to stop or interrupt the teenage gunman before he entered the school. “We’re expected to act differently when talking about a child that can’t defend themselves,” special prosecutor Bill Turner said during closing arguments Wednesday. “If you have a duty to act, you can’t stand by while a child is in imminent danger.” At least 370 law enforcement officers rushed to the school, where 77 minutes passed before a tactical team finally entered the classroom to confront and kill the gunman. Gonzales was one of just two officers indicted, angering some victim’s relatives who said they wanted more to be held accountable. Gonzales was charged with 29 counts of child abandonment and endangerment — each count representing the 19 students who were killed and 10 others who were injured. Jurors talked about ‘gaps’ in case, lawyer says During the trial jurors heard a medical examiner describe the fatal wounds to the children, some of whom were shot more than a dozen times. Several parents told of sending their children to school for an awards ceremony and the panic that ensued as the attack unfolded. Gonzales’ lawyers said he arrived upon a chaotic scene of rifle shots echoing on school grounds and never saw the gunman before the attacker went inside the school. They also insisted that three other officers who arrived seconds later had a better chance to stop the gunman. “He was the lowest man on the totem pole. They thought he was easy pickings,” Nico LaHood, one of Gonzales’ attorneys, said of prosecutors after the acquittal. Aug 12, 2025 ‘My kids are in there, bro … please.' Uvalde releases video, records of slow police response Jun 27, 2024 Former Uvalde school district police chief charged with child endangerment after shooting that killed 21 Sep 12, 2024 Poor training…

With the 2026 WNBA season fast-approaching, the Valkyries are making moves. Most recently, they brought in Denise Romero, who had been working for the Phoenix Suns and the Phoenix Mercury for two decades before joining the Valkyries organization. Romero joined the Phoenix Suns and Mercury organization in 2003, and in 2005 she was promoted to Basketball Operations Manager & Equipment Manager for the Mercury. In this position, Romero managed the scheduling of all team activities including practices, team buses, hotels, and flights while assisting the coaching staff. In 2016, Romero made history in 2016 as the first woman to serve as Equipment Manager in the NBA. Between 2016 and 2022, Romero was Equipment Operations Assistant and Travel Coordinator for the Phoenix Suns. “Denise brings over two decades of experience building systems and relationships that allow basketball operations to run seamlessly,” said Valkyries General Manager Ohemaa Nyanin. “Her expertise in logistics, team coordination, and organizational culture will strengthen our operations and support our staff as we continue building this franchise. We’re thrilled to have someone with her depth of experience join the Valkyries.” Romero and Nyanin will be working together closely, so we can expect another great season for the Valkyries ahead.

Recently, Steph Curry’s jersey from game 6 of the 2022 Finals sold at auction for 2.45 million dollars. This shatters the record for the most expensive Curry jersey ever sold, with the jersey he wore in his second-ever NBA game selling for $1.78 million over the summer. According to ESPN’s Dan Hajducky, “Barry Meisel, president and chief operating officer of the MeiGray Group — who photo-matched and sold the jersey privately for $1.7 million 3½ years ago — confirmed the sale to ESPN and noted that this is the only jersey Curry wore during Game 6.” During Game 6 of the 2022 NBA Finals, Curry logged 34 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals, helping the Warriors clinch their fourth championship of the dynasty and their first since 2018. Off topic, I think I may own the world’s most expensive Dario Šarić jersey, having had one custom-made at the NBA Store in New York in 2024. That’s not Steph Curry money, but I digress. I hope whoever owns the jersey cherishes it.

The Golden State Warriors are reeling after Jimmy Butler III suffered a season-ending injury in Monday night’s victory over the Miami Heat. Things had finally been coming together for the Dubs, who went 12-4 in the team’s last 16 games before Butler’s season was over. But where do they go from here? If Golden State wants to try and salvage any chance at contention this season, they have to consider trading Butler prior to this year’s deadline on February 5. Sure, the Dubs could largely stand pat and fight for a play-in spot in hopes Butler returns to form next year, as GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. has suggested they’ll do. However, can they really risk that at this point in Steph Curry’s career? The obvious name the Warriors will be tied to is Anthony Davis, who has an identical salary to Butler. However, it’s very difficult to envision a framework for a deal coming together. One could argue the Mavericks should swap Davis for Butler and a protected first-round pick, offloading Davis’ longer contract as they tank for the rest of the season, but they traded Luka Dončić for AD last season. They need a sexier return. Dallas has been tied to Jonathan Kuminga in the past, but even if the Dubs brought back a solid role player like Naji Marshall, it’s hard to imagine them trading the three unprotected first-round picks it would probably take to get a deal across the finish line. And they would probably be right to say no. The Brooklyn Nets and Utah Jazz are both clearly trying to tank this season with hopes of competing in 2026-27, hypothetically making Butler an appealing target for both front offices. Could Butler and the Warriors remaining picks finally bring Lauri Markkanen to the Warriors? Would the Nets trade both Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton to the Warriors for a trio of first-round picks, Butler, and expiring contracts from the Lakers (with Jarred Vanderbilt heading to Golden State while Kuminga and Buddy Hield join Luka)? The Warriors could go star hunting with Butler and/or Kuminga, looking to package picks alongside taking back long-term money. Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic suggested targeting a package of Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. Perhaps taking on Dejounte Murray’s contract alongside one or both of Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III could be another option. Would the Warriors trade three first-round picks, Butler, Kuminga, Hield, and Moses Moody for Williamson, Murray, and Murphy? Would the Pelicans consider it? Any deals like that would likely be the final blockbuster move of the Curry era. Golden State would be tying up the team’s long-term payroll and most (if not all) of the team’s draft picks for the foreseeable future. The Warriors should definitely pursue these possibilities, but the odds of one coming available that appeals to them and another team seems unlikely at the moment. Golden State’s best available path could be using Butler and Kuminga (probably Hield as well) to acquire multiple legitimate upgrades with some flaws on sizable enough contracts that the Dubs can retain the team’s draft capital. No, the Warriors should not hoard picks for the sake of it, but if no one good enough comes available, acquiring players that can give them a fighting chance to be competitive for the rest of the season that could be movable in the offseason should be the priority. The Portland Trail Blazers are worth keeping an eye on. They have Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday, two veteran players who would fit on the Warriors. But they both make more than $30 million per season through the 2027-28, a year after Butler’s current deal expires, making future trades more complicated. From a salary-matching perspective, the Warriors could trade Butler, Kuminga, and Hield to Portland for Holiday, Grant, and Robert Williams III. Golden State would be acquiring immediate help while the Blazers would clear more than $73.5 million off the team’s books in the 2027-28 season alongside added gambles on Kuminga and Butler that could…