Breonna Taylor case, Jerry Harris hearing, Tropical Storm Beta: 5 things to know Monday

Decision in Breonna Taylor case may come as early as Monday

Louisville's federal courthouse will be closed Monday and the rest of the coming week in anticipation of a potential decision in the investigation of Breonna Taylor's shooting death by police, the Louisville Courier Journal reports. That could mean Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron will make public this week whether Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, officer Myles Cosgrove and former officer Brett Hankison will be charged with homicide or other offenses in Taylor's death. Taylor, 26, was shot and killed after Louisville officers broke down her apartment door March 13 to serve a signed "no-knock" search warrant. Her death ignited more than 100 days of protests in Louisville and unleashed a torrent of national figures calling for "justice for Breonna" and the arrest of the officers who fired their weapons.

90 days of protests in Breonna Taylor's hometown

Amber Brown had climbed into a city bus before dawn to drive her 8-hour shift. She was tired, but she couldn't go home. Instead, she headed to "Injustice Square," the nucleus of the nation's rage over the police killing of Breonna Taylor. (Sept. 3)

Court hearing set for Jerry Harris, the 'Cheer' star charged with producing child pornography

A hearing Monday will determine if Jerry Harris, the celebrity cheerleader arrested and charged with producing child pornography, could be released on bond or under some other condition. Harris appeared Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge M. David Weisman but did not enter a plea. Prosecutor Christopher Parente described Harris as a danger to the community and asked the judge to keep him in detention. According to federal court records, Harris admitted to agents that he solicited and received explicit messages on Snapchat from at least 10 to 15 individuals he knew were minors, had sex with a 15-year-old at a cheerleading competition in 2019 and paid a 17-year-old money in exchange for nude photos. If convicted, Harris faces 15 to 30 years in federal prison. 

'Cheer' star Jerry Harris arrested and charged with producing child porn

The FBI arrested Jerry Harris after investigating reports made to police by two 14-year-old boys who claim Netflix "Cheer" star solicited explicit photos and sex.

Weary Gulf Coast residents prep for Tropical Storm Beta

As Tropical Storm Beta takes aim at the Gulf Coast of Texas, authorities worry residents have become storm-fatigued and might react too casually to Beta's potential since it isn't likely to reach hurricane status. Beta, the earliest-recorded named storm in the Atlantic, is expected to make landfall along Texas’ central or upper Gulf Coast late Monday night, forecasters said. Beta's advancement – it was moving west-northwest at 6 mph early Monday – follows a recurring theme in storms this season: slow movers that can stall over an area and dump a foot or more of rain. The first rain bands from Beta reached the Texas coast on Sunday, but the heaviest rain wasn’t expected to arrive until Monday into Tuesday.  

How to prepare for hurricane season

It's important to take these steps before hurricane season.

Trump will not attend United Nations General Assembly meeting in person

President Donald Trump will not attend the United Nations General Assembly in person this week – the latest display of how the coronavirus pandemic is upending U.S. diplomacy. The annual meeting that starts Monday usually draws world leaders to New York for several days and Trump has often used his address to frame his foreign policy in domestic terms. Last year, for instance, Trump asserted that the "future does not belong to globalists." But this year, because of COVID-19, many world leaders are sending recorded messages instead. It was not immediately clear whether Trump would take part virtually.

US demands UN sanctions against Iran be restored

The Trump administration on Thursday formally notified the United Nations of its demand for all U.N. sanctions on Iran to be restored, setting off an immediate confrontation with Russia and other Security Council members. (Aug. 20)

Ellen DeGeneres will talk controversy when show returns

"The Ellen DeGeneres Show" returns in-studio for Season 18 on Monday, with the embattled host saying she plans to address the allegations of racism, sexual harassment and workplace toxicity leveled by unnamed former staffers. "I can’t wait to get back to work and back to our studio," DeGeneres said. "And, yes, we’re gonna talk about it." Degeneres expressed regret about the accusations in a July letter to staffers while studio Warner Bros. conducted an internal review of worker complaints. The internal workplace review has so far resulted in the ousting of three producers. The popular, long-running daytime talk show has aired in syndication since 2003. 

The future of 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' explained

USA TODAY's Gary Levin explains why he thinks Ellen DeGeneres will return to her daytime talk show despite allegations of mistreatment from staffers.