August surely brought the heat, with more to unpack in the Mica Francis case and endless FOIA requests coming back in. But thanks to your support we can keep pushing forward.
This month the team at Luna Shark put extra pressure on lawmakers to take coercive control seriously so people like Mica Francis can receive the help and support they so desperately require.
Mandy is covering the horrific death of Sonya Massey, who was shot in the head by a police officer after she called 911 to report a suspicious person outside her home.
We also closely following the settlement involving the former journalist at the Marion County Record as well as updates in the suspicious death of Sandra Birchmore.
While our team is small and mighty, we are unable to report on every tip received. But we encourage submitting cases and information on our website here. Thank you all for your support as we follow the truth wherever it leads.
Alleged Assault, Grooming and Death of Sandra Birchmore, Stoughton, MA
Individuals holding “Justice 4 Sandra” signs lined a busy street in Stoughton Massachusetts to raise awareness about her death last month following accusations of grooming and sexual assault against three police officers.
Sandra Birchmore, 23, was discovered deceased in her Canton apartment from what officials ruled a death by suicide on Feb. 4, 2021.
Birchmore’s family launched their own investigation to find more answers about her death and unraveled a web of alleged grooming and assault within the Stoughton Police Department.
Following the examination by Michael Baden, a prolific forensic pathologist hired by the family, doubts began swirling about Birchmore’s true cause of death. Baden said he believes there is evidence to show she was murdered.
Her family is now suing the Town of Stoughton, Stoughton Police Department, and the three officers allegedly involved for wrongful death.
It is being reported that she was pregnant at the time of her death and that she was excited to become a mother.
The pathologist told The Boston Globe that Birchmore suffered a hyoid bone fracture, which is not an injury consistent with a self-inflicted hanging. Rather, Baden stated this type of injury is common in homicidal strangulations cases.
You can read more about the allegations in last month’s Corruption Watchlist
Police Chief Charged With Felony Obstruction In Marion County Record Newspaper Raid
On Tuesday, August 13, 2024 special prosecutors charged Marion, Kansas Police chief Gideon Cody with Obstruction of Justice, a felony, for his part in the raid on the Marion Kansas Record.
These charges stem from a 124-page report by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, investigating Cody’s raid on the town’s newspaper and sets a new standard for how government agencies SHOULD be communicating with the public to help establish trust. You can listen to co-hosts Liz, Eric and Mandy discuss this case in COJ episode #93 here.
In late July, a former reporter with the Marion County Record partially settled her lawsuit nearly a year after the controversial raid of the newspaper’s office on August 11, 2023.
Deb Gruver received $235,000 in for partially settling her lawsuit and in exchange for removing former Sheriff Gideon Cody’s name from her lawsuit, the Kansas City Star reported. Cody resigned from his position in October, shortly after Gruver filed her lawsuit.
During the raid, authorities seized Gruver’s personal cell phone. She also accused Cody of injuring her finger in the process.
Gruver’s name was not in the warrants Cody received prior to the raid, according to affidavits obtained by the Kansas City Star.
The local NPR station reported that Gruver was paid out by the city’s insurance, and that she plans on setting up a scholarship with the money. She said the scholarship will go to first-generation college students in Kansas.
This is only one of the many lawsuits the city is facing after the raid last August. The Star reports that four other former and current employees of the Marion County Record have filed lawsuits.
In May, former Vice Mayor of Marion Kansas and Councilwoman Ruth Herbel filed a federal lawsuit with the Institute of Justice against city officials over an “illegal” raid of her home.
The 88-page filing states both Ruth and her husband suffered harm following a “malicious, abusive, and retaliatory” investigation. She is seeking damages to her and her husband following the illegal search of their home.
In March, the paper’s office manager filed a suit which alleged that she was unlawfully detained during the raid. She also claimed that her personal belongings were illegally searched.
Another reporter filed a lawsuit in early February, seeking nearly $1 in damages from city officials, the AP reported.
You can read the full report from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation here.
We’ll provide updates as we learn them.
Karen Read Trial, Canton, MA
Karen Read’s retrial has been scheduled for January 2025. Now, prosecutors with the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office say four jurors have reached out to them.
According to CBS News, Read’s defense team received information from five jurors which they are now using to argue for a dismissal of two charges Read faces: murder and leaving the scene.
Presiding Judge Beverly Cannone scheduled a hearing for August 9 where the defense argued their motion to dismiss the case.
This follows the declaration of a mistrial on July 1, after jurors were deadlocked following 27 hours of deliberation.
Read is accused of hitting her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, with her car after a night of drinking and leaving him to die outside. You can read an in depth look about the case here.
Jurors in the original trial sat in court for over nine weeks of testimony, heard from 74 witnesses, and reviewed a total of 657 exhibits.
You can learn more about the allegations against Read in Cup of Justice Episode 75 with Brandi Churchwell who is closely following the trial.
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Are you looking into a case?
Soak Up the Sun Members have access to various guides and helpful tips for investigating cases. Check some out here:
- How to Start Investigating Your Own Case
- How to Create a Timeline: Getting The Facts Straight and Keeping Track of your Information
- FOIA Requests: Where to look, who to ask, and how much we can find in the public records
- How to Take Notes in Court
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Thanks for your help as we continue to shine sunlight on corruption around the country.
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Follow Sam Berlin
Sam Berlin
Sam is an award winning-journalist originally from Raleigh, North Carolina and currently living in Brooklyn, New York.
She graduated from Syracuse University in 2020 where she studied magazine journalism, photography, and sociology.
She joined LUNASHARK™ Media in 2023 where she assists with research, producing, recording and editing for True Sunlight™ and Cup of Justice podcasts.
Through her detailed, ethical reporting and multimedia experience, Sam creates enterprise stories and works to unravel the truth around her.
Sam is also a talented artist creating everything from miniatures to funky custom jewelry, each piece is made by hand in Brooklyn, NY. Embracing bright colors and unconventional designs, BERLINbyHand is all about self-expression and being bold.
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