Veteran’s jail death leads to lawsuit, CA cop convicted: Latest legal stories
The summaries below were drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
Thousands of legal cases reach U.S. courts every year. From accusations of mistreatment in prisons to fraud to sexual abuse and beyond, here are some of the latest from across the country.
Man pretends to own home destroyed by CA fire, gets $65,000 from FEMA, feds say
In California, Delvonne Dashon Johnson is accused of fraudulently obtaining nearly $65,000 in FEMA disaster relief by pretending to own a home destroyed by the Palisades Fire. Johnson falsely claimed ownership of the Pacific Palisades home, which led to FEMA issuing the funds, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. If convicted, Johnson could face up to 30 years in prison. | Published April 28 | Read More
Cop speaks up about missing drugs in evidence room, then is fired, NC suit says
In North Carolina, a former police officer, Wilson Bunn, is suing Brevard Police Chief Thomas Jordan, saying he was fired for reporting missing evidence from the department’s evidence room. The lawsuit, filed in federal court, says Bunn was retaliated against after he discovered and reported the missing evidence. The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and damages. | Published April 28 | Read More
Jail staff laughed at dying veteran left strapped to chair in Texas, suit says
In Texas, the family of Glenn Earl Smallwood Jr., a U.S. Army veteran, is suing after he died in the Angelina County Jail. The lawsuit says Smallwood, who had schizoaffective disorder, was ignored by jail staff despite his obvious medical needs and was left in a restraint chair until he died. The family is seeking justice and accountability. | Published April 29 | Read More
Russian man hired others to submit fake voter registrations in Florida, feds say
In Florida, Dmitry Shushlebin, a Russian citizen, is accused of orchestrating a scheme to submit over 100 fake voter registration applications. Sanjar Jamilov, who was recruited by Shushlebin, pleaded guilty to conspiring to submit the fraudulent registrations, federal prosecutors say. Shushlebin pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to prosecutors. | Published April 30 | Read More
70-year-old legal resident detained at Boston airport after trip, advocates say
A Massachusetts woman with permanent legal status, Ruth Mufute, was detained at Boston Logan International Airport upon returning from Zimbabwe, advocacy groups say. Mufute was indicted on federal wire fraud charges and was released after a federal judge withdrew a motion for detention, court records show. | Published April 30 | Read More
Cop involved in steroid sales destroys evidence as FBI visits CA home, feds say
In California, former Antioch police officer Devon Wenger was convicted of a conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids and obstruction of justice, according to federal prosecutors. Wenger is accused of destroying evidence related to the steroid distribution scheme before FBI agents arrived at his home with a warrant. | Published April 30 | Read More
McClatchy News continues to follow lawsuits and legal cases from around the country. Check back for more legal stories.
This story was originally published May 3, 2025 at 4:00 AM with the headline "Veteran’s jail death leads to lawsuit, CA cop convicted: Latest legal stories."