Alex Murdaugh to get his day before the South Carolina Supreme Court

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The appeals are just beginning for Alex Murdaugh. The 56-year-old disgraced South Carolina attorney is almost three years into a life sentence without parole for killing his wife and son. The South Carolina Supreme Court has agreed to hear his appeal of his murder convictions. His lawyers say the clerk of court tampered with jurors during his six-week trial. Murdaugh also is appealing the 40-year federal sentence he got after pleading guilty to stealing nearly $11 million from clients and his law firm as too harsh. And courts haven’t even begun considering whether it was unfair to let evidence of his financial crimes into his murder trial.

Judge rejects Trump’s latest demand to step aside from hush money criminal case

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump has lost his latest bid for a new judge in his New York hush money criminal case. Judge Juan M. Merchan, in a decision posted Wednesday, declined to step aside. The decision comes as the case heads toward a key ruling and potential sentencing next month. The request was the third from lawyers for the Republican presidential nominee. They’ve argued that Merchan has a conflict of interest because his daughter works as a political consultant for prominent Democrats and campaigns, including Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2020 presidential run. She’s now Trump’s Democratic opponent in this year’s election. A state court ethics panel said last year that Merchan could continue on the case.

NASA still deciding whether to keep 2 astronauts at space station until next year

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA says it’s still deciding whether to keep two astronauts at the International Space Station until early next year and send their troubled Boeing capsule back empty. Officials said Wednesday they’re analyzing more data before making a decision by end of next week or beginning of the next. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were supposed to stay at the space station for a week when they rocketed away in June as Starliner’s first crew. But thruster failures and helium leaks marred the capsule’s trip there, raising doubts about its ability to return safely.

Officer’s attorney: Videos show fatal shooting of pregnant Black woman was justified

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio police officer has made his initial court appearance after being charged in the fatal shooting of Ta’Kiya Young. The pregnant Black mother was killed after being accused of shoplifting last August. A magistrate set the officer’s bond Wednesday at $250,000. Blendon Township police officer Connor Grubb is charged with murder, involuntary manslaughter and felonious assault in the death of Young and the daughter she was expecting three months later. Young was suspected of shoplifting when another officer ordered her out of her car. Instead, she rolled toward Grubb, who fired a single bullet through her windshield into her chest.