JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Supreme Court on Wednesday set a June execution date for man convicted of killing two Missouri jailers during a botched attempt to free a friend.

Michael Andrew Tisius is scheduled to be executed June 6 at the state prison in Bonne Terre for the shooting deaths of Randolph County jailers Jason Acton and Leon Egley.

In 2000, Tisius and Tracie Bulington entered the lobby of the jail in Huntsville, aiming to break out Bulington’s boyfriend, Roy Vance, prosecutors said. Tisius fired on the two officers, killing them. The plot failed because the intruders couldn’t find the cell keys.

Tisius and Bulington, were arrested on the day of the shootings in Wathena, Kan., about 130 mile west of Huntsville.

Defense attorneys had argued that Tisius intended only to order the jailers into a holding cell and free Vance and other inmates.

Bulington, and Vance are serving life sentences.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677790581061.png" alt="Tisius-photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Tisius-photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Supreme Court on Wednesday set a June execution date for man convicted of killing two Missouri jailers during a botched attempt to free a friend.Michael Andrew Tisius is scheduled to be executed June 6 at the state prison in Bonne Terre for the shooting deaths of Randolph County jailers Jason Acton and Leon Egley.In 2000, Tisius and Tracie Bulington entered the lobby of the jail in Huntsville, aiming to break out Bulington’s boyfriend, Roy Vance, prosecutors said. Tisius fired on the two officers, killing them. The plot failed because the intruders couldn’t find the cell keys.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677790709027.png" alt="Bulington-photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Bulington-photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>Tisius and Bulington, were arrested on the day of the shootings in Wathena, Kan., about 130 mile west of Huntsville.Defense attorneys had argued that Tisius intended only to order the jailers into a holding cell and free Vance and other inmates.Bulington, and Vance are serving life sentences.

Man arrested in Kansas to be executed for killing 2 jailers

WALTERBORO, S.C. (AP) — A judge sentenced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh to life without parole Friday, a day after he was convicted of murder in the shooting deaths of his wife and son.

The Colleton County jury deliberated for less than three hours Thursday before finding Murdaugh guilty of killing his 22-year-old son, Paul, with a shotgun and his 52-year-old wife, Maggie, with a rifle on June 7, 2021.

Murdaugh soon will be taken to a state prison where he will be held in the highest security.

WALTERBORO, S.C. (AP) — Disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh was convicted of murder Thursday in the shooting deaths of his wife and son in a case that chronicled the unraveling of a powerful Southern family with tales of privilege, greed and addiction.

The jury deliberated for less than three hours before finding Murdaugh guilty of two counts of murder at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alex-murdaugh-trial-begins-dda1feeaf0a1af302da87d8ba0bb5520">end of a six-week trial</a>&nbsp;that pulled back the curtain on the once-prominent lawyer’s fall from grace.

The judge said sentencing would take place at 9:30 a.m. Friday.

Murdaugh, 54, faces 30 years to life in prison without parole for each murder charge.

Through more than 75 witnesses and nearly 800 pieces of evidence, jurors heard about betrayed friends and clients, Murdaugh’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-shootings-south-carolina-insurance-fraud-assisted-suicide-44624b2b2d58d13042daf2cfec88185a">failed attempt to stage his own death</a>&nbsp;in an insurance fraud scheme, a fatal boat crash in which his son was implicated, the housekeeper who died in a fall in the Murdaugh home, the grisly scene of the killings and Bubba, the chicken-snatching dog.

In the end, Murdaugh’s fate appeared sealed by cellphone video taken by his son, who he called “Little Detective” for his knack for finding bottles of painkillers in his father’s belongings after the lawyer had sworn off the pills.

Testimony culminated in Murdaugh’s appearance on the witness stand, when he admitted stealing millions from clients and lying to investigators about being at the dog kennels where the shootings took place but steadfastly maintained his innocence in the deaths of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh.

“I did not kill Maggie, and I did not kill Paul. I would never hurt Maggie, and I would never hurt Paul — ever — under any circumstances,” Murdaugh said.

Murdaugh’s 52-year-old wife was shot four or five times with a rifle and their 22-year-old son was shot twice with a shotgun at the kennels near at their rural Colleton County home on June 7, 2021.

Prosecutors didn’t have the weapons used to kill the Murdaughs or other direct evidence like confessions or blood spatter. But they had a mountain of circumstantial evidence, led by a video locked on Paul Murdaugh’s cellphone for more than a year — video shot minutes before the killings that witnesses testified captured the voices of all three Murdaughs.

Alex Murdaugh, 54, had told police repeatedly after the killings that he was not at the kennels and was instead napping before he went to visit his ailing mother that night.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-7f93dfc192114685af06c432254a366a">Murdaugh called 911</a>&nbsp;and said he discovered the bodies when he returned home.

But in his testimony, Murdaugh admitted joining Maggie and Paul at the kennels, where he said he took a chicken away from a rowdy yellow Labrador named Bubba — whose name Murdaugh can be heard saying on the video — before heading back to the house shortly ahead of the fatal shootings.

Murdaugh lied about being at the kennels for 20 months before taking the stand on the 23rd day of his trial. He blamed his decadeslong addiction to opioids for making him paranoid, creating a distrust of police. He said that once he went down that path, he felt trapped in the lie.

“Oh, what a tangled web we weave. Once I told a lie — I told my family — I had to keep lying,” he testified.

Prosecutor Creighton Waters grilled Murdaugh about what he repeatedly called the lawyer’s “new story” of what happened at the kennels, walking him moment by moment through the timeline and assailing his “fuzzy” memory of certain details, like his last words to his wife and son.

A state agent also testified that markings on spent cartridges found around Maggie Murdaugh’s body matched markings on fired cartridges at a shooting range elsewhere on the property, though the defense said that kind of matching is an inexact science.

Murdaugh comes from a family that dominated the local legal scene for decades. His father, grandfather and great-grandfather were the area’s elected prosecutors for more than 80 years and his family law firm grew to dozens of lawyers by suing railroads, corporations and other big businesses.

The now-disbarred attorney&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-south-carolina-money-laundering-indictments-7cb0c6e33cd9ad421dafd5e82df52795">admitted stealing millions of dollars</a>&nbsp;from the family firm and clients, saying he needed the money to fund his drug habit. Before he was charged with murder, Murdaugh was in jail awaiting trial on about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-crime-south-carolina-indictments-tax-evasion-319f9b53eaf4ef8eb2fc0d5256e84549">100 other charges</a>&nbsp;ranging from insurance fraud to tax evasion.

Prosecutors told jurors that Murdaugh was afraid all of his misdeeds were about to be discovered, so he killed his wife and son to gain sympathy to buy time to cover his tracks.

Murdaugh’s lawyers will almost certainly appeal the conviction based on the judge allowing evidence of the financial crimes, which they contend were unrelated to the killings and were used by prosecutors to smear Murdaugh’s reputation.

WALTERBORO, S.C. (AP) — A defense lawyer for Alex Murdaugh said Thursday that state agents were so determined to get the disgraced South Carolina attorney&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alex-murdaugh-murder-trial-what-to-know-fcd1fb52138f95c4d55de9690aab60ee">convicted of murder</a>&nbsp;in the killings of his wife and son that they lied about or misrepresented evidence.

When closing arguments wrapped up, the judge turned Murdaugh's fate over to jurors after giving them his final instructions, and they headed to their jury room to begin deliberations.

Attorney Jim Griffin gave the defense's closing, emphasizing Murdaugh's main point — that investigators focused solely on him and conducted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legal-proceedings-south-carolina-crime-homicide-13a31ec73cf6da2f65848ac6e016b6be">the investigation</a>&nbsp;so poorly that any evidence pointing to someone else, like fingerprints or possible DNA on Maggie or Paul Murdaugh's clothing, was never gathered.

“How could he have butchered Maggie and Paul without leaving a trace of evidence within a matter of minutes?” Griffin said.

Murdaugh, 54, faces 30 years to life in prison if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alex-murdaugh-trial-begins-dda1feeaf0a1af302da87d8ba0bb5520">convicted.</a>&nbsp;Investigators said his 22-year-old son, Paul, was shot twice with a shotgun and his 52-year-old wife, Maggie, was shot four or five times with a rifle outside dog kennels on their rural Colleton County property on June 7, 2021.

Prosecutors got the last word with a rebuttal argument after Griffin spoke.

“You can’t answer every question, and the law doesn't require it," prosecutor John Meadors said.

Investigators think Murdaugh had no more than about 17 minutes from the time his wife and son stopped using their cellphones to when he left the property to visit his ailing mother.

Experts from both sides agreed there had to be a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legal-proceedings-homicide-south-carolina-covid-1e487566c01edfacf4ab45ec54ffb3c0">massive amount of blood</a>, tissue and other material from the killings, but the prosecution did not present any evidence of blood spatter on clothes. The weapons in the case also have never been found.

“He had 17 minutes. He would have to be a magician to make all that evidence disappear,” Griffin said.

No one tried to look for DNA on the clothes of the victims, which a killer could have left. No one tried to see if fingerprints or shoe prints could be lifted from the blood around Paul Murdaugh and matched to a possible killer, Griffin said.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alex-murdaugh-murder-trial-5612574c166b6f8b4e71ff6395e38f9c">Prosecutors think</a>&nbsp;Alex Murdaugh killed his wife and son because he feared his years of stealing millions of dollars from his law firm and clients would be exposed and his lofty standing in the community toppled. They said he hoped their deaths would make him a sympathetic figure and draw attention away from the missing money.

Motive is not a necessary element to prove the crime. But Rachel Fiset, a Los Angeles-based trial attorney, said prosecutors painstakingly laid out motive to address the question she figures must have weighed on juror’s minds.

“I don’t think there could possibly be any conviction without answering that lingering question of why Alex Murdaugh would kill his family,” Fiset said.

A key piece of evidence for prosecutors is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/homicide-legal-proceedings-crime-ae1c73cc2739dec105d265b9b1e7c4b8">a video</a>&nbsp;that includes the voices of Murdaugh, his wife and son at the kennels just minutes before investigators said they were killed. The video wasn’t discovered for a year because agents couldn’t initially hack into his son’s iPhone

For 20 months, Alex Mudaugh told everyone that he wasn't at the kennels but while testifying in his own defense, he finally admitted he was there.

"He lied because that’s what addicts do. He lied because he has a closet full of skeletons," Griffin said.

Prosecutors said all Murdaugh did was lie — to the people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-homicide-9dffc67a8d00f40aa7867b1cfd3101fc">he was stealing</a>&nbsp;from, to police about a key fact in their investigation, to his family about his drug use and even about the order in which he checked his wife and son for signs of life, switching who he checked first in different police interviews.

Griffin said that showed how badly the state wants to convict Murdaugh at all costs, referring to prosecutors' closing argument where they said the evidence showed Maggie Murdaugh died while running to see her son.

“Alex was running to his baby. Can you imagine what he saw?" Griffin said. "And is it evidence of guilt that he doesn’t remember what the sequencing was at that moment?”

Griffin said his time as a prosecutor left him pained to say the State Law Enforcement Division either fabricated or lied about evidence.

The lead agent on the case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-homicide-4eb76da4acb636416e19b905689e87e7">said on the stand</a>&nbsp;that he told the grand jury that indicted Murdaugh 13 months after the deaths that the T-shirt Murdaugh was wearing when police arrived had high velocity blood spatter from his son that happens when someone is shot at close range.

But other agents in the case had already reported further testing on the shirt showed no blood on it and the shirt was never mentioned by prosecutors at the trial.

Meadors said law enforcement is not on trial, Murdaugh is.

The prosecutor said he was offended that Murdaugh's defense is claiming that law enforcement "didn’t do their job while he is withholding and obstructing justice by not saying, 'I was down at the kennels.’”

And there was the matter of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-carolina-homicide-crime-04f5df7d8b2236ff1a35e9885141bcee">blue rain jacket</a>&nbsp;that state agents said was covered in gunshot residue when it was found at Murdaugh's mother's house. Investigators theorized Murdaugh wrapped guns in it to hide on his parents' property, but Murdaugh's family didn't recognize it and it wasn't his size.

Griffin ended his closing argument with a plea to the jury.

“On behalf of Alex, on behalf of Buster, on behalf of Maggie and on behalf of my friend Paul, I respectfully ask you do not compound a family tragedy with another,” Griffin said, his voice breaking.

Earlier Thursday, Judge Clifton Newman removed a juror because she discussed the case with other people. Five jurors have had to be replaced during the six-week trial, leaving the jury with just one alternate during deliberations, which began at 3:50 p.m. (EST) on Thursday.

Newman's exchange with the juror Thursday was pleasant. He asked her if she needed the bailiff to get any of her things from the jury room. She said she had her purse and a dozen eggs that a fellow juror brought for each juror from his farm.

Fiset said the lone alternate juror marks an alarming development given the risk of illness posed by COVID-19. In a case with less direct evidence, she expects a longer deliberation — and a longer period for members to remain healthy.

“They are one person away from this jury being a mistrial,” Fiset said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677802489063.png" alt="Alex Murdaugh cries as prosecutor Creighton Waters describes the murder of Murdaugh's wife and son during closing arguments in Murdaugh's double murder trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, S.C., Wednesday, March 1, 2023.&nbsp; (Joshua Boucher/The State via AP, Pool)" />
 <figcaption>Alex Murdaugh cries as prosecutor Creighton Waters describes the murder of Murdaugh's wife and son during closing arguments in Murdaugh's double murder trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, S.C., Wednesday, March 1, 2023.&nbsp; (Joshua Boucher/The State via AP, Pool)</figcaption>
 </figure>WALTERBORO, S.C. (AP) — A judge sentenced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh to life without parole Friday, a day after he was convicted of murder in the shooting deaths of his wife and son.The Colleton County jury deliberated for less than three hours Thursday before finding Murdaugh guilty of killing his 22-year-old son, Paul, with a shotgun and his 52-year-old wife, Maggie, with a rifle on June 7, 2021.Murdaugh soon will be taken to a state prison where he will be held in the highest security.---------WALTERBORO, S.C. (AP) — Disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh was convicted of murder Thursday in the shooting deaths of his wife and son in a case that chronicled the unraveling of a powerful Southern family with tales of privilege, greed and addiction.The jury deliberated for less than three hours before finding Murdaugh guilty of two counts of murder at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alex-murdaugh-trial-begins-dda1feeaf0a1af302da87d8ba0bb5520">end of a six-week trial</a>&nbsp;that pulled back the curtain on the once-prominent lawyer’s fall from grace.The judge said sentencing would take place at 9:30 a.m. Friday.Murdaugh, 54, faces 30 years to life in prison without parole for each murder charge.Through more than 75 witnesses and nearly 800 pieces of evidence, jurors heard about betrayed friends and clients, Murdaugh’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-shootings-south-carolina-insurance-fraud-assisted-suicide-44624b2b2d58d13042daf2cfec88185a">failed attempt to stage his own death</a>&nbsp;in an insurance fraud scheme, a fatal boat crash in which his son was implicated, the housekeeper who died in a fall in the Murdaugh home, the grisly scene of the killings and Bubba, the chicken-snatching dog.In the end, Murdaugh’s fate appeared sealed by cellphone video taken by his son, who he called “Little Detective” for his knack for finding bottles of painkillers in his father’s belongings after the lawyer had sworn off the pills.Testimony culminated in Murdaugh’s appearance on the witness stand, when he admitted stealing millions from clients and lying to investigators about being at the dog kennels where the shootings took place but steadfastly maintained his innocence in the deaths of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh.“I did not kill Maggie, and I did not kill Paul. I would never hurt Maggie, and I would never hurt Paul — ever — under any circumstances,” Murdaugh said.Murdaugh’s 52-year-old wife was shot four or five times with a rifle and their 22-year-old son was shot twice with a shotgun at the kennels near at their rural Colleton County home on June 7, 2021.Prosecutors didn’t have the weapons used to kill the Murdaughs or other direct evidence like confessions or blood spatter. But they had a mountain of circumstantial evidence, led by a video locked on Paul Murdaugh’s cellphone for more than a year — video shot minutes before the killings that witnesses testified captured the voices of all three Murdaughs.Alex Murdaugh, 54, had told police repeatedly after the killings that he was not at the kennels and was instead napping before he went to visit his ailing mother that night.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-7f93dfc192114685af06c432254a366a">Murdaugh called 911</a>&nbsp;and said he discovered the bodies when he returned home.But in his testimony, Murdaugh admitted joining Maggie and Paul at the kennels, where he said he took a chicken away from a rowdy yellow Labrador named Bubba — whose name Murdaugh can be heard saying on the video — before heading back to the house shortly ahead of the fatal shootings.Murdaugh lied about being at the kennels for 20 months before taking the stand on the 23rd day of his trial. He blamed his decadeslong addiction to opioids for making him paranoid, creating a distrust of police. He said that once he went down that path, he felt trapped in the lie.“Oh, what a tangled web we weave. Once I told a lie — I told my family — I had to keep lying,” he testified.Prosecutor Creighton Waters grilled Murdaugh about what he repeatedly called the lawyer’s “new story” of what happened at the kennels, walking him moment by moment through the timeline and assailing his “fuzzy” memory of certain details, like his last words to his wife and son.A state agent also testified that markings on spent cartridges found around Maggie Murdaugh’s body matched markings on fired cartridges at a shooting range elsewhere on the property, though the defense said that kind of matching is an inexact science.Murdaugh comes from a family that dominated the local legal scene for decades. His father, grandfather and great-grandfather were the area’s elected prosecutors for more than 80 years and his family law firm grew to dozens of lawyers by suing railroads, corporations and other big businesses.The now-disbarred attorney&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-south-carolina-money-laundering-indictments-7cb0c6e33cd9ad421dafd5e82df52795">admitted stealing millions of dollars</a>&nbsp;from the family firm and clients, saying he needed the money to fund his drug habit. Before he was charged with murder, Murdaugh was in jail awaiting trial on about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-crime-south-carolina-indictments-tax-evasion-319f9b53eaf4ef8eb2fc0d5256e84549">100 other charges</a>&nbsp;ranging from insurance fraud to tax evasion.Prosecutors told jurors that Murdaugh was afraid all of his misdeeds were about to be discovered, so he killed his wife and son to gain sympathy to buy time to cover his tracks.Murdaugh’s lawyers will almost certainly appeal the conviction based on the judge allowing evidence of the financial crimes, which they contend were unrelated to the killings and were used by prosecutors to smear Murdaugh’s reputation.--------------WALTERBORO, S.C. (AP) — A defense lawyer for Alex Murdaugh said Thursday that state agents were so determined to get the disgraced South Carolina attorney&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alex-murdaugh-murder-trial-what-to-know-fcd1fb52138f95c4d55de9690aab60ee">convicted of murder</a>&nbsp;in the killings of his wife and son that they lied about or misrepresented evidence.When closing arguments wrapped up, the judge turned Murdaugh's fate over to jurors after giving them his final instructions, and they headed to their jury room to begin deliberations.Attorney Jim Griffin gave the defense's closing, emphasizing Murdaugh's main point — that investigators focused solely on him and conducted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legal-proceedings-south-carolina-crime-homicide-13a31ec73cf6da2f65848ac6e016b6be">the investigation</a>&nbsp;so poorly that any evidence pointing to someone else, like fingerprints or possible DNA on Maggie or Paul Murdaugh's clothing, was never gathered.“How could he have butchered Maggie and Paul without leaving a trace of evidence within a matter of minutes?” Griffin said.Murdaugh, 54, faces 30 years to life in prison if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alex-murdaugh-trial-begins-dda1feeaf0a1af302da87d8ba0bb5520">convicted.</a>&nbsp;Investigators said his 22-year-old son, Paul, was shot twice with a shotgun and his 52-year-old wife, Maggie, was shot four or five times with a rifle outside dog kennels on their rural Colleton County property on June 7, 2021.Prosecutors got the last word with a rebuttal argument after Griffin spoke.“You can’t answer every question, and the law doesn't require it," prosecutor John Meadors said.Investigators think Murdaugh had no more than about 17 minutes from the time his wife and son stopped using their cellphones to when he left the property to visit his ailing mother.Experts from both sides agreed there had to be a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legal-proceedings-homicide-south-carolina-covid-1e487566c01edfacf4ab45ec54ffb3c0">massive amount of blood</a>, tissue and other material from the killings, but the prosecution did not present any evidence of blood spatter on clothes. The weapons in the case also have never been found.“He had 17 minutes. He would have to be a magician to make all that evidence disappear,” Griffin said.No one tried to look for DNA on the clothes of the victims, which a killer could have left. No one tried to see if fingerprints or shoe prints could be lifted from the blood around Paul Murdaugh and matched to a possible killer, Griffin said.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alex-murdaugh-murder-trial-5612574c166b6f8b4e71ff6395e38f9c">Prosecutors think</a>&nbsp;Alex Murdaugh killed his wife and son because he feared his years of stealing millions of dollars from his law firm and clients would be exposed and his lofty standing in the community toppled. They said he hoped their deaths would make him a sympathetic figure and draw attention away from the missing money.Motive is not a necessary element to prove the crime. But Rachel Fiset, a Los Angeles-based trial attorney, said prosecutors painstakingly laid out motive to address the question she figures must have weighed on juror’s minds.“I don’t think there could possibly be any conviction without answering that lingering question of why Alex Murdaugh would kill his family,” Fiset said.A key piece of evidence for prosecutors is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/homicide-legal-proceedings-crime-ae1c73cc2739dec105d265b9b1e7c4b8">a video</a>&nbsp;that includes the voices of Murdaugh, his wife and son at the kennels just minutes before investigators said they were killed. The video wasn’t discovered for a year because agents couldn’t initially hack into his son’s iPhoneFor 20 months, Alex Mudaugh told everyone that he wasn't at the kennels but while testifying in his own defense, he finally admitted he was there."He lied because that’s what addicts do. He lied because he has a closet full of skeletons," Griffin said.Prosecutors said all Murdaugh did was lie — to the people&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-homicide-9dffc67a8d00f40aa7867b1cfd3101fc">he was stealing</a>&nbsp;from, to police about a key fact in their investigation, to his family about his drug use and even about the order in which he checked his wife and son for signs of life, switching who he checked first in different police interviews.Griffin said that showed how badly the state wants to convict Murdaugh at all costs, referring to prosecutors' closing argument where they said the evidence showed Maggie Murdaugh died while running to see her son.“Alex was running to his baby. Can you imagine what he saw?" Griffin said. "And is it evidence of guilt that he doesn’t remember what the sequencing was at that moment?”Griffin said his time as a prosecutor left him pained to say the State Law Enforcement Division either fabricated or lied about evidence.The lead agent on the case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-homicide-4eb76da4acb636416e19b905689e87e7">said on the stand</a>&nbsp;that he told the grand jury that indicted Murdaugh 13 months after the deaths that the T-shirt Murdaugh was wearing when police arrived had high velocity blood spatter from his son that happens when someone is shot at close range.But other agents in the case had already reported further testing on the shirt showed no blood on it and the shirt was never mentioned by prosecutors at the trial.Meadors said law enforcement is not on trial, Murdaugh is.The prosecutor said he was offended that Murdaugh's defense is claiming that law enforcement "didn’t do their job while he is withholding and obstructing justice by not saying, 'I was down at the kennels.’”And there was the matter of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-carolina-homicide-crime-04f5df7d8b2236ff1a35e9885141bcee">blue rain jacket</a>&nbsp;that state agents said was covered in gunshot residue when it was found at Murdaugh's mother's house. Investigators theorized Murdaugh wrapped guns in it to hide on his parents' property, but Murdaugh's family didn't recognize it and it wasn't his size.Griffin ended his closing argument with a plea to the jury.“On behalf of Alex, on behalf of Buster, on behalf of Maggie and on behalf of my friend Paul, I respectfully ask you do not compound a family tragedy with another,” Griffin said, his voice breaking.Earlier Thursday, Judge Clifton Newman removed a juror because she discussed the case with other people. Five jurors have had to be replaced during the six-week trial, leaving the jury with just one alternate during deliberations, which began at 3:50 p.m. (EST) on Thursday.Newman's exchange with the juror Thursday was pleasant. He asked her if she needed the bailiff to get any of her things from the jury room. She said she had her purse and a dozen eggs that a fellow juror brought for each juror from his farm.Fiset said the lone alternate juror marks an alarming development given the risk of illness posed by COVID-19. In a case with less direct evidence, she expects a longer deliberation — and a longer period for members to remain healthy.“They are one person away from this jury being a mistrial,” Fiset said.

Jury: Disgraced So. Carolina lawyer guilty of killing wife, son

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Thursday arrested two Kansas men on allegations that the pair illegally exported aviation-related technology to Russia and provided repair services for the equipment.

Cyril Gregory Buyanovsky and Douglas Robertson are charged with conspiracy, exporting controlled goods without a license, falsifying and failing to file electronic export information, and smuggling goods in violation of U.S. law.

The charges come as the U.S. has drastically ramped up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-us-department-of-the-treasury-government-janet-yellen-business-f85483ad976990a056c9bfc6b504a07d">sanctions and financial penalties on Russia</a>&nbsp;since its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">invasion of Ukraine</a>&nbsp;began on Feb. 24, 2022. Along with thousands of sanctions on people and firms, export controls on the Kremlin are meant to limit access to computer chips and other products needed to equip a modern military.

The Justice Department says Buyanovsky and Robertson owned and operated KanRus Trading Co., which allegedly supplied aircraft electronics to Russian companies and provided repair services for equipment used in Russian-manufactured aircraft.

The indictment says that since 2020, they conspired to evade U.S. export laws by concealing and misstating the true end users and destinations of their exports and by shipping equipment through third-party countries.

They face up to 35 years in prison if convicted. Lawyers for Buyanovsky and Robertson couldn’t be identified from the provided documents, and the Justice Department didn't immediately respond to a request for their information.

The FBI and the Commerce Department's Office of Export Enforcement are investigating the case.

Matthew S. Axelrod, assistant secretary for export enforcement at the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security, said at an American Bar Association event in Miami Thursday that state actors like Russia, China, Iran and North Korea are trying to “take advantage of rapid advances in technology,” adding that sensitive technologies being sent to these countries are “top of our list from an enforcement perspective.”

Since the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, U.S. officials have said they would increase enforcement and sanctions on people and entities that assist Russia in the procurement of weaponry and technology that would bolster its military.

WASHINGTON —Two Kansas men were arrested Thursday on charges related to a years-long scheme to circumvent U.S. export laws that included the illegal export of aviation-related technology to Russia after Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, and the imposition of stricter restrictions on exports to Russia, according to United State's Department of Justice.

According to the indictment, Cyril Gregory Buyanovsky, 59, of Lawrence, and Douglas Robertson, 55, of Olathe, owned and operated <a href="http://www.kanrus.com/customers_en.html">KanRus</a> Trading Company, which supplied Western avionics equipment (i.e., electronics installed in aircraft) to Russian companies and provided repair services for equipment used in Russian-manufactured aircraft. Since 2020, the defendants conspired to evade U.S. export laws by concealing and misstating the true end users, value and end destinations of their exports and by transshipping items through third-party countries. For example, between November 2020 and February 2021, the defendants received avionics equipment, including a computer processor bearing a sticker identifying Russia’s Federal Security Services (FSB), from a Russian company for repair in the United States. The defendants concealed the true end user and end destination by providing a fraudulent invoice to the shipment company identifying the end destination as Germany.

As further alleged, on Feb. 28, 2022, the defendants attempted to export avionics to Russia. U.S. authorities detained the shipment, and the U.S. Department of Commerce informed the defendants that a license was required to export the equipment to Russia. In an April 2022 communication, Robertson expressed to a Russia-based customer that “things are complicated in the USA” and that “[t]his is NOT the right time for [more paperwork and visibility].” Subsequently, in May, June and July 2022, the defendants illegally transshipped avionics through Armenia and Cyprus to Russia without obtaining the required licenses.

The defendants are charged with conspiracy, exporting controlled goods without a license, falsifying and failing to file electronic export information, and smuggling goods contrary to U.S. law. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of exporting controlled goods without a license; up to 10 years in prison for each count of smuggling; and up to five years in prison for each count of conspiracy and falsifying export information. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Task Force KleptoCapture Director Andrew C. Adams, U.S. Attorney Duston J. Slinkard for the District of Kansas, Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI Counterintelligence Division, Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub of the FBI Kansas City Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tambrini of the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement, Chicago Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI and the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Rask and Ryan Huschka for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorney Adam Barry of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

The investigation was coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2, 2022 and under the leadership of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677794853919.png" alt="Image from the&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Image from the&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Thursday arrested two Kansas men on allegations that the pair illegally exported aviation-related technology to Russia and provided repair services for the equipment.Cyril Gregory Buyanovsky and Douglas Robertson are charged with conspiracy, exporting controlled goods without a license, falsifying and failing to file electronic export information, and smuggling goods in violation of U.S. law.The charges come as the U.S. has drastically ramped up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-us-department-of-the-treasury-government-janet-yellen-business-f85483ad976990a056c9bfc6b504a07d">sanctions and financial penalties on Russia</a>&nbsp;since its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">invasion of Ukraine</a>&nbsp;began on Feb. 24, 2022. Along with thousands of sanctions on people and firms, export controls on the Kremlin are meant to limit access to computer chips and other products needed to equip a modern military.The Justice Department says Buyanovsky and Robertson owned and operated KanRus Trading Co., which allegedly supplied aircraft electronics to Russian companies and provided repair services for equipment used in Russian-manufactured aircraft.The indictment says that since 2020, they conspired to evade U.S. export laws by concealing and misstating the true end users and destinations of their exports and by shipping equipment through third-party countries.They face up to 35 years in prison if convicted. Lawyers for Buyanovsky and Robertson couldn’t be identified from the provided documents, and the Justice Department didn't immediately respond to a request for their information.The FBI and the Commerce Department's Office of Export Enforcement are investigating the case.Matthew S. Axelrod, assistant secretary for export enforcement at the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security, said at an American Bar Association event in Miami Thursday that state actors like Russia, China, Iran and North Korea are trying to “take advantage of rapid advances in technology,” adding that sensitive technologies being sent to these countries are “top of our list from an enforcement perspective.”Since the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, U.S. officials have said they would increase enforcement and sanctions on people and entities that assist Russia in the procurement of weaponry and technology that would bolster its military.---------------WASHINGTON —Two Kansas men were arrested Thursday on charges related to a years-long scheme to circumvent U.S. export laws that included the illegal export of aviation-related technology to Russia after Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, and the imposition of stricter restrictions on exports to Russia, according to United State's Department of Justice.According to the indictment, Cyril Gregory Buyanovsky, 59, of Lawrence, and Douglas Robertson, 55, of Olathe, owned and operated <a href="http://www.kanrus.com/customers_en.html">KanRus</a> Trading Company, which supplied Western avionics equipment (i.e., electronics installed in aircraft) to Russian companies and provided repair services for equipment used in Russian-manufactured aircraft. Since 2020, the defendants conspired to evade U.S. export laws by concealing and misstating the true end users, value and end destinations of their exports and by transshipping items through third-party countries. For example, between November 2020 and February 2021, the defendants received avionics equipment, including a computer processor bearing a sticker identifying Russia’s Federal Security Services (FSB), from a Russian company for repair in the United States. The defendants concealed the true end user and end destination by providing a fraudulent invoice to the shipment company identifying the end destination as Germany.As further alleged, on Feb. 28, 2022, the defendants attempted to export avionics to Russia. U.S. authorities detained the shipment, and the U.S. Department of Commerce informed the defendants that a license was required to export the equipment to Russia. In an April 2022 communication, Robertson expressed to a Russia-based customer that “things are complicated in the USA” and that “[t]his is NOT the right time for [more paperwork and visibility].” Subsequently, in May, June and July 2022, the defendants illegally transshipped avionics through Armenia and Cyprus to Russia without obtaining the required licenses.The defendants are charged with conspiracy, exporting controlled goods without a license, falsifying and failing to file electronic export information, and smuggling goods contrary to U.S. law. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of exporting controlled goods without a license; up to 10 years in prison for each count of smuggling; and up to five years in prison for each count of conspiracy and falsifying export information. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.Task Force KleptoCapture Director Andrew C. Adams, U.S. Attorney Duston J. Slinkard for the District of Kansas, Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI Counterintelligence Division, Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub of the FBI Kansas City Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tambrini of the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement, Chicago Field Office made the announcement.The FBI and the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement are investigating the case.Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Rask and Ryan Huschka for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorney Adam Barry of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.The investigation was coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2, 2022 and under the leadership of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.

Two Kansas men arrested on charges of selling tech to Russia

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a woman.

Just after 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to the 1100 block of S. Rock Road in Wichita in reference to a dead body found in the area, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

A follow-up investigation identified the body as 40-year-old Shanoha Hansell of Wichita.

At this time, the cause and manner of death are still under investigation. Police are asking anyone who may have had recent contact with Hansell to contact WPD Investigators at 316-268-4407.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a woman.Just after 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to the 1100 block of S. Rock Road in Wichita in reference to a dead body found in the area, according to Officer Chad Ditch.A follow-up investigation identified the body as 40-year-old Shanoha Hansell of Wichita.At this time, the cause and manner of death are still under investigation. Police are asking anyone who may have had recent contact with Hansell to contact WPD Investigators at 316-268-4407.

Police: Kan. woman's body found; death under investigation

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged theft.

Just before 8a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to 1301 SW 37th ST. in reference to the report of an unwanted subject. 

Upon arrival, officers located the man later identified as 23-year-old Dawson Upton of Topeka, according to Lt. Edward Stanley.

Upon further investigation, police determined Upton was a&nbsp; person of interest in a robbery that was reported on December 31.

Police arrested Dawson on requested charges of Robbery, Criminal Threat, Theft by threat and Intimidation of witness/victim.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677769142597.png" alt="Upton-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Upton-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged theft.Just before 8a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to 1301 SW 37th ST. in reference to the report of an unwanted subject. Upon arrival, officers located the man later identified as 23-year-old Dawson Upton of Topeka, according to Lt. Edward Stanley.Upon further investigation, police determined Upton was a&nbsp; person of interest in a robbery that was reported on December 31.Police arrested Dawson on requested charges of Robbery, Criminal Threat, Theft by threat and Intimidation of witness/victim.

Police capture Kan. man wanted for New Year's Eve robbery

Federal health officials are warning parents of newborns to sterilize equipment used for both bottle- and breast-feeding after a baby died last year from a rare infection tied to a contaminated breast pump.

The infant, a premature boy, was infected with the bacteria Cronobacter sakazakii, the same germ that sparked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-government-and-politics-1e54ff345ab2a4be93f2e24d991e4450">a recall and nationwide shortage</a>&nbsp;of powdered infant formula last year, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7209a2.htm?s_cid=mm7209a2_w">report</a>&nbsp;released Thursday.

But this baby’s infection was not caused by contaminated formula.

The child, who was hospitalized, had been fed a mix of breastmilk and liquid human milk fortifier through a tube. Genetic sequencing linked the infection to bacteria isolated from a breast pump used at home. Samples from expressed milk, a breast pump used in the hospital and the liquid human milk fortifier were all negative for the bacteria.

An investigation found that the home breast pump was cleaned in a household sink, sanitized and sometimes assembled while still moist.

Dr. Julia Haston, a CDC expert in pediatric infectious diseases, said the case underscores that cronobacter bacteria are found widely in the environment and can lead to severe and deadly infections.

“There are steps that people can take to prevent infections,” she said, including thoroughly washing, sanitizing and drying hands, equipment and all surfaces before feeding a baby.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674393743283.jpg" alt="Federal health officials are warning parents of newborns, Thursday, March 2, 2023, to sterilize equipment used for both bottle- and breast-feeding after a baby died last year from a rare infection tied to a contaminated breast pump.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Federal health officials are warning parents of newborns, Thursday, March 2, 2023, to sterilize equipment used for both bottle- and breast-feeding after a baby died last year from a rare infection tied to a contaminated breast pump.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By JONEL ALECCIA AP Health WriterFederal health officials are warning parents of newborns to sterilize equipment used for both bottle- and breast-feeding after a baby died last year from a rare infection tied to a contaminated breast pump.The infant, a premature boy, was infected with the bacteria Cronobacter sakazakii, the same germ that sparked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-government-and-politics-1e54ff345ab2a4be93f2e24d991e4450">a recall and nationwide shortage</a>&nbsp;of powdered infant formula last year, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7209a2.htm?s_cid=mm7209a2_w">report</a>&nbsp;released Thursday.But this baby’s infection was not caused by contaminated formula.The child, who was hospitalized, had been fed a mix of breastmilk and liquid human milk fortifier through a tube. Genetic sequencing linked the infection to bacteria isolated from a breast pump used at home. Samples from expressed milk, a breast pump used in the hospital and the liquid human milk fortifier were all negative for the bacteria.An investigation found that the home breast pump was cleaned in a household sink, sanitized and sometimes assembled while still moist.Dr. Julia Haston, a CDC expert in pediatric infectious diseases, said the case underscores that cronobacter bacteria are found widely in the environment and can lead to severe and deadly infections.“There are steps that people can take to prevent infections,” she said, including thoroughly washing, sanitizing and drying hands, equipment and all surfaces before feeding a baby.___

CDC: Baby's death tied to contaminated breast pump

WASHINGTON –&nbsp;U.S. Senator Jerry Moran today voted to support and pass a disapproval resolution under the&nbsp;Congressional Review Act&nbsp;(CRA) regarding a Department of Labor (DOL) rule on how retirement plans are managed and invested, according to a statement from the senator's office.

The<a href="https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/retirement/erisa#:~:text=The%20Employee%20Retirement%20Income%20Security,for%20individuals%20in%20these%20plans.">&nbsp;Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974</a>&nbsp;(ERISA) covers most employer-sponsored retirement plans, and the Employee Benefits Security Administration within the DOL is responsible for enforcing rules on how these retirement plans are invested.

Last year, the DOL released a rule to allow retirement plan fiduciaries to consider environmental, social and corporate governances (ESG) factors over financial returns when selecting investments for the retirement plans of more than 150 million American workers. This resolution enables Congress to express disapproval and nullify the rule.

“The 401(k) accounts of millions of Americans are not a political tool for the Biden administration to use to further its agenda,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran. “I voted to overturn the Department of Labor’s rule that would allow asset managers to prioritize ESG factors over the best financial returns for Americans' retirement accounts. I encourage the President to listen to the representatives of the people and sign this resolution to nullify the rule.”

This resolution has passed the U.S. House of Representatives and now goes to the President to signed or vetoed.

WASHINGTON –&nbsp;U.S. Senator Jerry Moran today voted to support and pass a disapproval resolution under the&nbsp;Congressional Review Act&nbsp;(CRA) regarding a Department of Labor (DOL) rule on how retirement plans are managed and invested, according to a statement from the senator's office.The<a href="https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/retirement/erisa#:~:text=The%20Employee%20Retirement%20Income%20Security,for%20individuals%20in%20these%20plans.">&nbsp;Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974</a>&nbsp;(ERISA) covers most employer-sponsored retirement plans, and the Employee Benefits Security Administration within the DOL is responsible for enforcing rules on how these retirement plans are invested.Last year, the DOL released a rule to allow retirement plan fiduciaries to consider environmental, social and corporate governances (ESG) factors over financial returns when selecting investments for the retirement plans of more than 150 million American workers. This resolution enables Congress to express disapproval and nullify the rule.“The 401(k) accounts of millions of Americans are not a political tool for the Biden administration to use to further its agenda,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran. “I voted to overturn the Department of Labor’s rule that would allow asset managers to prioritize ESG factors over the best financial returns for Americans' retirement accounts. I encourage the President to listen to the representatives of the people and sign this resolution to nullify the rule.”This resolution has passed the U.S. House of Representatives and now goes to the President to signed or vetoed.

Moran votes to overturn Biden rule on retirement accounts

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump can be sued by injured Capitol Police officers and Democratic lawmakers over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol,</a>&nbsp;the Justice Department said Thursday in a federal court case testing Trump's legal vulnerability and the limits of executive power.

The department wrote that although a president enjoys broad legal latitude to communicate to the public on matters of concern, “no part of a President’s official responsibilities includes the incitement of imminent private violence. By definition, such conduct plainly falls outside the President’s constitutional and statutory duties.”

The brief was filed by lawyers of the Justice Department's Civil Division and has no bearing on a separate criminal investigation by a department special counsel into whether Trump can be criminally charged over efforts to undo Democrat Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election ahead of the Capitol riot. In fact, the lawyers note that they are not taking a position with respect to potential criminal liability for Trump or anyone else.

The Justice Department wrote that it also takes no view on a lower court judge's conclusion that those who sued Trump have “plausibly” alleged that his speech caused the riot. Nevertheless, the department said that an appeals court should reject Trump's claim that he's immune from the lawsuits.

The Justice Department cautioned that the “court must take care not to adopt rules that would unduly chill legitimate presidential communication" or saddle a president with meritless lawsuits.

"In exercising their traditional communicative functions, Presidents routinely address controversial issues that are the subject of passionate feelings. Presidents may at times use strong rhetoric. And some who hear that rhetoric may overreact, or even respond with violence," the department wrote.

Trump is appealing a decision by a federal judge in Washington, who last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-lawsuits-donald-trump-48fef5775a0043339fb38aa84ad419be">rejected efforts by the former president to toss out the conspiracy civil lawsuits</a>&nbsp;filed by lawmakers and two Capitol police officers. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Trump’s words during a rally before the violent storming of the U.S. Capitol were likely “words of incitement not protected by the First Amendment.”

The lawsuits, filed by Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., officers James Blassingame and Sidney Hemby, and later joined by other House Democrats, argue that Trump and others made “false and incendiary allegations of fraud and theft, and in direct response to the Defendant’s express calls for violence at the rally, a violent mob attacked the U.S. Capitol."

The suits cite a federal civil rights law that was enacted to counter the Ku Klux Klan’s intimidation of officials. They describe in detail how Trump and others spread baseless claims of election fraud, both before and after the 2020 presidential election was declared, and charge that they helped to rile up the thousands of rioters before they stormed the Capitol.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614042711157.png" alt="The protest at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>The protest at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump can be sued by injured Capitol Police officers and Democratic lawmakers over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol,</a>&nbsp;the Justice Department said Thursday in a federal court case testing Trump's legal vulnerability and the limits of executive power.The department wrote that although a president enjoys broad legal latitude to communicate to the public on matters of concern, “no part of a President’s official responsibilities includes the incitement of imminent private violence. By definition, such conduct plainly falls outside the President’s constitutional and statutory duties.”The brief was filed by lawyers of the Justice Department's Civil Division and has no bearing on a separate criminal investigation by a department special counsel into whether Trump can be criminally charged over efforts to undo Democrat Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election ahead of the Capitol riot. In fact, the lawyers note that they are not taking a position with respect to potential criminal liability for Trump or anyone else.The Justice Department wrote that it also takes no view on a lower court judge's conclusion that those who sued Trump have “plausibly” alleged that his speech caused the riot. Nevertheless, the department said that an appeals court should reject Trump's claim that he's immune from the lawsuits.The Justice Department cautioned that the “court must take care not to adopt rules that would unduly chill legitimate presidential communication" or saddle a president with meritless lawsuits."In exercising their traditional communicative functions, Presidents routinely address controversial issues that are the subject of passionate feelings. Presidents may at times use strong rhetoric. And some who hear that rhetoric may overreact, or even respond with violence," the department wrote.Trump is appealing a decision by a federal judge in Washington, who last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-lawsuits-donald-trump-48fef5775a0043339fb38aa84ad419be">rejected efforts by the former president to toss out the conspiracy civil lawsuits</a>&nbsp;filed by lawmakers and two Capitol police officers. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Trump’s words during a rally before the violent storming of the U.S. Capitol were likely “words of incitement not protected by the First Amendment.”The lawsuits, filed by Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., officers James Blassingame and Sidney Hemby, and later joined by other House Democrats, argue that Trump and others made “false and incendiary allegations of fraud and theft, and in direct response to the Defendant’s express calls for violence at the rally, a violent mob attacked the U.S. Capitol."The suits cite a federal civil rights law that was enacted to counter the Ku Klux Klan’s intimidation of officials. They describe in detail how Trump and others spread baseless claims of election fraud, both before and after the 2020 presidential election was declared, and charge that they helped to rile up the thousands of rioters before they stormed the Capitol.

Justice Dept: Trump can be sued by police for Jan. 6 actions

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Federal Bureau of Investigation is assisting police looking into the multiple hoax calls claiming there were active shooters at schools across Kansas Wednesday, according to Officer Chad Ditch of the Wichita Police Department.

(Click below to listen to one of the hoax 911 calls received in Topeka.)

Police in nearly a dozen communities including Topeka, Lawrence, Wichita, El Dorado, Junction City, Manhattan, Wellington, Liberal, Russell, Garden City and Colby responded to the hoax calls about the active shooters at schools.&nbsp;

Most law enforcement immediately identified the calls as swatting but police swiftly responded and schools were placed on lockdown. There were no injuries at any of the schools.

Anyone with information about the calls is encouraged to contact police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677682971206.png" alt="Police responded to Highland Park High School in Topeka Wednesday-photo by Phil Anderson courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police responded to Highland Park High School in Topeka Wednesday-photo by Phil Anderson courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Federal Bureau of Investigation is assisting police looking into the multiple hoax calls claiming there were active shooters at schools across Kansas Wednesday, according to Officer Chad Ditch of the Wichita Police Department.(Click below to listen to one of the hoax 911 calls received in Topeka.)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uVt5dz4qRLE?start=1" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Police in nearly a dozen communities including Topeka, Lawrence, Wichita, El Dorado, Junction City, Manhattan, Wellington, Liberal, Russell, Garden City and Colby responded to the hoax calls about the active shooters at schools.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">What happens when LKPD gets an active shooter call? The below video shows our response from the time the call came in, to when our SRO identified the call as a hoax. <a href="https://t.co/4hrcRHN7K0">pic.twitter.com/4hrcRHN7K0</a>&mdash; Lawrence Police (@LawrenceKS_PD) <a href="https://twitter.com/LawrenceKS_PD/status/1631005752922980352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Most law enforcement immediately identified the calls as swatting but police swiftly responded and schools were placed on lockdown. There were no injuries at any of the schools.Anyone with information about the calls is encouraged to contact police.

🎥Listen to 911 hoax call of active shooter at Kansas school

CHEROKEE COUNTY—A Kansas teen died in an accident just before 8a.m. Thursday in Cherokee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol(KHP) reported a 2006 Acura TL driven by&nbsp; Fletcher, Josiah Lee Fletcher*, 18, Pittsburg, was eastbound on Kansas 171 Highway&nbsp; approximately 2.4 miles east of U.S.69

As the driver made a u-turn, a westbound 2016 Kenworth semi driven by Ryder James&nbsp;Schnackenberg, 21, Neosho, Missouri, struck the Acura.

Fletcher was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Derfelt Funeral Home.&nbsp;Schnackenberg was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

*Updated spelling of victims middle name at request of family member, name was initially spelled 'Le' as it appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.gov/khp-crashlogs/search/viewDetail/2023-002250">KHP crash log</a>.

CHEROKEE COUNTY—A Kansas teen died in an accident just before 8a.m. Thursday in Cherokee County.The Kansas Highway Patrol(KHP) reported a 2006 Acura TL driven by&nbsp; Fletcher, Josiah Lee Fletcher*, 18, Pittsburg, was eastbound on Kansas 171 Highway&nbsp; approximately 2.4 miles east of U.S.69As the driver made a u-turn, a westbound 2016 Kenworth semi driven by Ryder James&nbsp;Schnackenberg, 21, Neosho, Missouri, struck the Acura.Fletcher was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Derfelt Funeral Home.&nbsp;Schnackenberg was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.*Updated spelling of victims middle name at request of family member, name was initially spelled 'Le' as it appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.gov/khp-crashlogs/search/viewDetail/2023-002250">KHP crash log</a>.

Kansas teen dies after crash with semi during u-turn

TOPEKA —The goodies Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro sent to Kansas Governor Laura Kelly for their Super Bowl wager arrived this week.&nbsp;

Shapiro sent Kelly soft pretzels from Philly Style Hand Twisted Soft Pretzel Bakery, cheesesteaks from Tony Luke’s and mini Eagles doughnuts from Collegeville Italian Bakery.

&nbsp;Shapiro,&nbsp;Pennsylvania's 48th governor, also promised and did fly a Kansas City Chiefs flag in his office signed by Missouri Governor Parson.

TOPEKA —The goodies Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro sent to Kansas Governor Laura Kelly for their Super Bowl wager arrived this week.&nbsp;Shapiro sent Kelly soft pretzels from Philly Style Hand Twisted Soft Pretzel Bakery, cheesesteaks from Tony Luke’s and mini Eagles doughnuts from Collegeville Italian Bakery.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My Super Bowl treats have arrived! The soft pretzels and donuts from local Pennsylvania small businesses were as delicious as they look. Thanks <a href="https://twitter.com/GovernorShapiro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovernorShapiro</a> for holding up your end of the bargain, and congrats to the <a href="https://twitter.com/Eagles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Eagles</a> on a great season! <a href="https://t.co/PQRbJ0X6Wt">pic.twitter.com/PQRbJ0X6Wt</a>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1631324335355863041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>&nbsp;Shapiro,&nbsp;Pennsylvania's 48th governor, also promised and did fly a Kansas City Chiefs flag in his office signed by Missouri Governor Parson.

Gov. Kelly shows off treats she won from Super Bowl wager

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gasoline with higher blends of ethanol could be sold year-round in Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and other<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-environment-smog-iowa-us-environmental-protection-agency-81f740405e32298cc8b85adc9c2f63fc">&nbsp;midwestern states</a>&nbsp;beginning in 2024 under a rule proposed Wednesday by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The proposed rule is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-biofuels-congress-biogas-michael-s-regan-d4004067e63ba5823a5ae1ec03807ea3">victory for the biofuels industry</a>, which for years has pushed to allow sales of gasoline blended with 15% ethanol&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-business-smog-environment-4a877e9afc2837609c4a0aee72a042bc">during the summer</a>, which hasn't been allowed because of concerns that it would worsen smog during hot weather. The industry and members of Congress welcomed the EPA's proposal, which had been requested by governors in the eight states, but they questioned why the new rules couldn't begin this summer.

Under the proposal, the higher blends could be sold during the summer in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Most gasoline sold in the U.S. is now blended with 10% ethanol, which is allowed throughout the year.

The issue is especially important in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-iowa-kim-reynolds-des-moines-b8ecec35e579e9e247e1237dccf9550f">those Midwest states</a>&nbsp;because farmers there grow the bulk of the nation's corn, and nearly 40% of that crop is used to produce ethanol. As more ethanol goes into gas tanks, demand for corn should increase and prices for the commodity paid to farmers should also rise.

The American Coalition for Ethanol said in a statement that the group appreciated the EPA's proposal but argued there was no reason to wait until 2024 . The group accused the agency of delaying the action because of pressure from the petroleum industry.

“The administration appears to be caving to refiner crocodile tears by kicking the can to 2024 instead," the coalition said. "This delay means consumers in conventional gasoline areas of the country will be forced to pay more at the pump this year and retailers who want to offer lower cost E15 to their customers will be penalized.”

The group urged the EPA to allow the change to take effect in 2023 for the eight Midwestern states and for the Biden administration to allow the expanded ethanol sales in other regions of the country.

The American Fuel &amp; Petrochemical Manufacturers industry group said the EPA was right to delay new rules until 2024 because summer gasoline production is already underway. Even with more lead time, the organization predicted that creating a special blend for the Midwestern states would increase costs and could lead to tighter fuel supplies in the region because not all refiners, pipelines and terminals are ready to handle the different blend.

“Fuel manufacturers and regional pipeline and terminal operators have made clear to the Biden administration and the eight petitioning states that the push to outlaw the current blend of summertime gasoline and replace it with a boutique blend is going to impose major costs on the Midwest’s fuel supply chain and consumers — ranging from $500-$800 million per year, and potentially higher if unforeseen interruptions occur,” the organization said in a statement.

The EPA said it would hold a hearing on the proposed rule in late March or early April. The agency didn't immediately respond to a request to comment about questions regarding its proposed rule.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gasoline with higher blends of ethanol could be sold year-round in Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and other<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-environment-smog-iowa-us-environmental-protection-agency-81f740405e32298cc8b85adc9c2f63fc">&nbsp;midwestern states</a>&nbsp;beginning in 2024 under a rule proposed Wednesday by the Environmental Protection Agency.The proposed rule is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-biofuels-congress-biogas-michael-s-regan-d4004067e63ba5823a5ae1ec03807ea3">victory for the biofuels industry</a>, which for years has pushed to allow sales of gasoline blended with 15% ethanol&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-business-smog-environment-4a877e9afc2837609c4a0aee72a042bc">during the summer</a>, which hasn't been allowed because of concerns that it would worsen smog during hot weather. The industry and members of Congress welcomed the EPA's proposal, which had been requested by governors in the eight states, but they questioned why the new rules couldn't begin this summer.Under the proposal, the higher blends could be sold during the summer in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Most gasoline sold in the U.S. is now blended with 10% ethanol, which is allowed throughout the year.The issue is especially important in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-iowa-kim-reynolds-des-moines-b8ecec35e579e9e247e1237dccf9550f">those Midwest states</a>&nbsp;because farmers there grow the bulk of the nation's corn, and nearly 40% of that crop is used to produce ethanol. As more ethanol goes into gas tanks, demand for corn should increase and prices for the commodity paid to farmers should also rise.The American Coalition for Ethanol said in a statement that the group appreciated the EPA's proposal but argued there was no reason to wait until 2024 . The group accused the agency of delaying the action because of pressure from the petroleum industry.“The administration appears to be caving to refiner crocodile tears by kicking the can to 2024 instead," the coalition said. "This delay means consumers in conventional gasoline areas of the country will be forced to pay more at the pump this year and retailers who want to offer lower cost E15 to their customers will be penalized.”The group urged the EPA to allow the change to take effect in 2023 for the eight Midwestern states and for the Biden administration to allow the expanded ethanol sales in other regions of the country.The American Fuel &amp; Petrochemical Manufacturers industry group said the EPA was right to delay new rules until 2024 because summer gasoline production is already underway. Even with more lead time, the organization predicted that creating a special blend for the Midwestern states would increase costs and could lead to tighter fuel supplies in the region because not all refiners, pipelines and terminals are ready to handle the different blend.“Fuel manufacturers and regional pipeline and terminal operators have made clear to the Biden administration and the eight petitioning states that the push to outlaw the current blend of summertime gasoline and replace it with a boutique blend is going to impose major costs on the Midwest’s fuel supply chain and consumers — ranging from $500-$800 million per year, and potentially higher if unforeseen interruptions occur,” the organization said in a statement.The EPA said it would hold a hearing on the proposed rule in late March or early April. The agency didn't immediately respond to a request to comment about questions regarding its proposed rule.

Kansas could add more ethanol to gasoline under EPA plan

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple charges after an arrest.

Just after 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, police went to an address in the 2100 block of SW Huntoon Street in Topeka to try and locate a wanted person stemming from an aggravated battery investigation,&nbsp;according to Lt. Edward Stanley.

 Officers observed the subject identified as 19-year-old Michael O. Bennett II enter into a residence but he refused to come out of the home. 

The Topeka Police Department Response Team and Crisis Negotiations Team were summoned to the scene, and the subject was subsequently arrested without incident.

&nbsp;Bennett was booked in to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Robbery and Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677758608956.png" alt="Bennett-photo Shawnee o." />
 <figcaption>Bennett-photo Shawnee o.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple charges after an arrest.Just after 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, police went to an address in the 2100 block of SW Huntoon Street in Topeka to try and locate a wanted person stemming from an aggravated battery investigation,&nbsp;according to Lt. Edward Stanley. Officers observed the subject identified as 19-year-old Michael O. Bennett II enter into a residence but he refused to come out of the home. The Topeka Police Department Response Team and Crisis Negotiations Team were summoned to the scene, and the subject was subsequently arrested without incident.&nbsp;Bennett was booked in to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Robbery and Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer.

Police: Robbery suspect arrested after standoff at Kansas home

WASHINGTON —In an interview with Fox News this week, FBI Director Christoper Wray said, “The FBI has for quite some time now assessed that the origins of the pandemic are most likely a potential lab incident in (central China’s) Wuhan.”

&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, held a press conference Wednesday on the federal government’s assessment of the origins of the coronavirus pandemic. The press conference comes follows Wray's comments and&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-origin-china-lab-leak-807b7b0a?mod=hp_lead_pos1" target="_blank">new reporting</a>&nbsp;of the U.S. Department of Energy’s assessment that COVID-19 originated in a laboratory.

In Senator Marshall's opening statement he said, "Over 1 million Americans and more than 10 million people worldwide have died from the COVID virus, and here we are more than three years later and we still have not held China accountable for its origin. But that cloak of silence is coming down."

"This week we learned the Department of Energy is now joining the FBI in assessing this virus originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, China. Because of this, momentum is building for an exhaustive, full throated, 9/11-style, non-political commission…Certainly the deaths of 1 million Americans, the destruction of our economy, the locking of our children out of schools, all this deserves an explanation. We need to know where this virus came from, and hopefully prevent future accident."

"We started the work for this commission over two years ago and will continue to press forward in a bipartisan fashion. We cannot rely on this White House or administration, or frankly the press, to untangle this web and review all our research grant processes, as well as public health care policy."

WASHINGTON —In an interview with Fox News this week, FBI Director Christoper Wray said, “The FBI has for quite some time now assessed that the origins of the pandemic are most likely a potential lab incident in (central China’s) Wuhan.”&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, held a press conference Wednesday on the federal government’s assessment of the origins of the coronavirus pandemic. The press conference comes follows Wray's comments and&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-origin-china-lab-leak-807b7b0a?mod=hp_lead_pos1" target="_blank">new reporting</a>&nbsp;of the U.S. Department of Energy’s assessment that COVID-19 originated in a laboratory.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YZ41WZBNgfw?start=7" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>In Senator Marshall's opening statement he said, "Over 1 million Americans and more than 10 million people worldwide have died from the COVID virus, and here we are more than three years later and we still have not held China accountable for its origin. But that cloak of silence is coming down.""This week we learned the Department of Energy is now joining the FBI in assessing this virus originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, China. Because of this, momentum is building for an exhaustive, full throated, 9/11-style, non-political commission…Certainly the deaths of 1 million Americans, the destruction of our economy, the locking of our children out of schools, all this deserves an explanation. We need to know where this virus came from, and hopefully prevent future accident.""We started the work for this commission over two years ago and will continue to press forward in a bipartisan fashion. We cannot rely on this White House or administration, or frankly the press, to untangle this web and review all our research grant processes, as well as public health care policy."

🎥Senator Marshall: Cloak of silence on COVID origin coming down

WASHINGTON (AP) —<a href="https://www.lilly.com/resources/insulin-affordability">Eli Lilly will cut prices</a>&nbsp;for some older insulins later this year and immediately give more patients access to a cap on the costs they pay to fill prescriptions.

The moves announced Wednesday promise critical relief to some people with diabetes who can face thousands of dollars in annual costs for insulin they need in order to live. Lilly’s changes also come as lawmakers and patient advocates pressure drugmakers to do something about soaring prices.

Lilly said it will cut the list prices for its most commonly prescribed insulin, Humalog, and for another insulin, Humulin, by 70% or more in the fourth quarter, which starts in October.

List prices are what a drugmaker initially sets for a product and what people who have no insurance or plans with high deductibles are sometimes stuck paying.

A Lilly spokeswoman said the current list price for a 10-milliliter vial of the fast-acting, mealtime insulin Humalog is $274.70. That will fall to $66.40.

Likewise, she said the same amount of Humulin currently lists at $148.70. That will change to $44.61.

Lilly CEO David Ricks said Wednesday that his company was making these changes to address issues that affect the price patients ultimately pay for its insulins.

He noted that discounts Lilly offers from its list prices often don't reach patients through insurers or pharmacy benefit managers. High-deductible coverage can lead to big bills at the pharmacy counter, particularly at the start of the year when the deductibles renew.

“We know the current U.S. health care system has gaps,” he said. “This makes a tough disease like diabetes even harder to manage.”

Patient advocates have long called for insulin price cuts to help uninsured people who would not be affected by price caps tied to insurance coverage. They have noted that high insulin prices force many people to ration doses, which can be dangerous for their health.

The advocacy group Public Citizen said in a statement that Lilly’s price cut was overdue and “an acknowledgement that insulin prices are a deadly outrage.”

Lilly’s planned cuts “could actually provide some substantial price relief,” said Stacie Dusetzina, a health policy professor at Vanderbilt University who studies drug costs.

She noted that the moves likely won’t affect Lilly much financially because the insulins are older, and some already face competition.

Lilly also said Wednesday that it will cut the price of its authorized generic version of Humalog to $25 a vial starting in May.

Lilly also is launching in April a biosimilar insulin to compete with Sanofi’s Lantus.

Ricks said that it will take time for insurers and the pharmacy system to implement its price cuts, so the drugmaker will immediately cap monthly out-of-pocket costs for all of its insulins at $35 for people who are not covered by Medicare’s prescription drug program.

The drugmaker said the cap applies to people with commercial coverage and at most retail pharmacies.

Lilly said people without insurance can find savings cards to receive insulin for the same amount at its&nbsp;<a href="https://insulinaffordability.com/">InsulinAffordability.com</a>&nbsp;website.

The federal government in January started applying that cap to patients with coverage through its Medicare program for people age 65 and older or those who have certain disabilities or illnesses.

President Joe Biden brought up that cost cap during his annual&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-of-the-union-biden-2023-b9bebd876a42a9510f068a04a3f2a348">State of the Union</a>&nbsp;address last month. He called for insulin costs for everyone to be capped at $35.

Biden said in a statement Wednesday that Lilly responded to his call.

“It’s a big deal, and it’s time for other manufacturers to follow,” Biden said.

He also noted that Americans “for far too long” have faced much higher drug costs than people in other countries.

Aside from Eli Lilly and the French drugmaker Sanofi, other top insulin makers include the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk.

Representatives for both Sanofi and Novo Nordisk said their companies offer several programs that limit costs for people with and without coverage.

Researchers with non-profit Kaiser Family Foundation have found that more than 25% of those who take insulin and are covered either through a small employer or by individual insurance that meets Affordable Care Act standards would benefit from a $35 monthly cap. Likewise, about 20% of insulin users with coverage through a big employer also would save.

Insulin is made by the pancreas and used by the body to convert food into energy. People who have diabetes don’t produce enough insulin.

People with Type 1 diabetes must take insulin every day to survive. More than 8 million Americans use insulin, according to the American Diabetes Association.

Research has shown that prices for insulin have more than tripled in the last two decades. Pressure is growing on drugmakers to help patients.

The state of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-california-diabetes-government-and-politics-f846c58d4cb327578d1c7b3a9495d496">California has said it plans to explore making its own cheaper insulin</a>. Drugmakers also may face competition from companies like the nonprofit Civica, which plans to produce three insulins at a recommended price of no more than $30 a vial, a spokeswoman said.

Drugmakers may be seeing “the writing on the wall that high prices can’t persist forever,” said Larry Levitt, an executive vice president with Kaiser.

“Lilly is trying to get out ahead of the issue and look to the public like the good guy,” Levitt said, adding that there's nothing stopping Lilly from raising prices again in the future.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677718119575.png" alt="A vial of Eli Lilly's Humalog insulin-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>A vial of Eli Lilly's Humalog insulin-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —<a href="https://www.lilly.com/resources/insulin-affordability">Eli Lilly will cut prices</a>&nbsp;for some older insulins later this year and immediately give more patients access to a cap on the costs they pay to fill prescriptions.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We capped the cost of insulin for seniors on Medicare at $35. But in my State of the Union, I said we needed to finish the job. Well, today, Eli Lilly announced that they’re lowering prices for everyone else to $35. Let’s keep it going. <a href="https://t.co/XXBXe4HnR4">pic.twitter.com/XXBXe4HnR4</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1631043167297368066?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The moves announced Wednesday promise critical relief to some people with diabetes who can face thousands of dollars in annual costs for insulin they need in order to live. Lilly’s changes also come as lawmakers and patient advocates pressure drugmakers to do something about soaring prices.Lilly said it will cut the list prices for its most commonly prescribed insulin, Humalog, and for another insulin, Humulin, by 70% or more in the fourth quarter, which starts in October.List prices are what a drugmaker initially sets for a product and what people who have no insurance or plans with high deductibles are sometimes stuck paying.A Lilly spokeswoman said the current list price for a 10-milliliter vial of the fast-acting, mealtime insulin Humalog is $274.70. That will fall to $66.40.Likewise, she said the same amount of Humulin currently lists at $148.70. That will change to $44.61.Lilly CEO David Ricks said Wednesday that his company was making these changes to address issues that affect the price patients ultimately pay for its insulins.He noted that discounts Lilly offers from its list prices often don't reach patients through insurers or pharmacy benefit managers. High-deductible coverage can lead to big bills at the pharmacy counter, particularly at the start of the year when the deductibles renew.“We know the current U.S. health care system has gaps,” he said. “This makes a tough disease like diabetes even harder to manage.”Patient advocates have long called for insulin price cuts to help uninsured people who would not be affected by price caps tied to insurance coverage. They have noted that high insulin prices force many people to ration doses, which can be dangerous for their health.The advocacy group Public Citizen said in a statement that Lilly’s price cut was overdue and “an acknowledgement that insulin prices are a deadly outrage.”Lilly’s planned cuts “could actually provide some substantial price relief,” said Stacie Dusetzina, a health policy professor at Vanderbilt University who studies drug costs.She noted that the moves likely won’t affect Lilly much financially because the insulins are older, and some already face competition.Lilly also said Wednesday that it will cut the price of its authorized generic version of Humalog to $25 a vial starting in May.Lilly also is launching in April a biosimilar insulin to compete with Sanofi’s Lantus.Ricks said that it will take time for insurers and the pharmacy system to implement its price cuts, so the drugmaker will immediately cap monthly out-of-pocket costs for all of its insulins at $35 for people who are not covered by Medicare’s prescription drug program.The drugmaker said the cap applies to people with commercial coverage and at most retail pharmacies.Lilly said people without insurance can find savings cards to receive insulin for the same amount at its&nbsp;<a href="https://insulinaffordability.com/">InsulinAffordability.com</a>&nbsp;website.The federal government in January started applying that cap to patients with coverage through its Medicare program for people age 65 and older or those who have certain disabilities or illnesses.President Joe Biden brought up that cost cap during his annual&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-of-the-union-biden-2023-b9bebd876a42a9510f068a04a3f2a348">State of the Union</a>&nbsp;address last month. He called for insulin costs for everyone to be capped at $35.Biden said in a statement Wednesday that Lilly responded to his call.“It’s a big deal, and it’s time for other manufacturers to follow,” Biden said.He also noted that Americans “for far too long” have faced much higher drug costs than people in other countries.Aside from Eli Lilly and the French drugmaker Sanofi, other top insulin makers include the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk.Representatives for both Sanofi and Novo Nordisk said their companies offer several programs that limit costs for people with and without coverage.Researchers with non-profit Kaiser Family Foundation have found that more than 25% of those who take insulin and are covered either through a small employer or by individual insurance that meets Affordable Care Act standards would benefit from a $35 monthly cap. Likewise, about 20% of insulin users with coverage through a big employer also would save.Insulin is made by the pancreas and used by the body to convert food into energy. People who have diabetes don’t produce enough insulin.People with Type 1 diabetes must take insulin every day to survive. More than 8 million Americans use insulin, according to the American Diabetes Association.Research has shown that prices for insulin have more than tripled in the last two decades. Pressure is growing on drugmakers to help patients.The state of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-california-diabetes-government-and-politics-f846c58d4cb327578d1c7b3a9495d496">California has said it plans to explore making its own cheaper insulin</a>. Drugmakers also may face competition from companies like the nonprofit Civica, which plans to produce three insulins at a recommended price of no more than $30 a vial, a spokeswoman said.Drugmakers may be seeing “the writing on the wall that high prices can’t persist forever,” said Larry Levitt, an executive vice president with Kaiser.“Lilly is trying to get out ahead of the issue and look to the public like the good guy,” Levitt said, adding that there's nothing stopping Lilly from raising prices again in the future.Lilly officials said Wednesday that they have not raised the price of any of their insulins since 2017.Ricks, the Lilly CEO, said the drugmaker made the changes announced Wednesday “because it's time and it's the right thing to do.”Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co. became the first company to commercialize insulin in 1923, two years after University of Toronto scientists discovered it. The drugmaker then built its reputation around producing insulin even as it branched into cancer treatments, antipsychotics and other drugs.Humulin and Humalog and its authorized generic brought in a total of more than $3 billion in revenue for Lilly last year. They rang up more than $3.5 billion the year before that.“These are treatments that have had a really long and successful life and should be less costly to patients,” Dusetzina said.&nbsp;