Mitri Shatara

A U.S. grand jury has indicted four men, including the alleged driver, in connection with the death of 53 migrants in the intense heat during a smuggling attempt last month in San Antonio, Texas.

The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office has reported that of the 53 bodies in the custody of the medical examiner’s office, 40 are male, and 13 are female.

It’s the deadliest incident of human smuggling in U.S. history.

Dozens of migrants were jammed into the back of the tractor-trailer found outside of San Antonio on June 27.

A San Antonio federal grand jury returned an indictment against Homero Zamorano Jr., 46, and Christian Martinez, 28, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas announced.

The men were charged with a count of conspiracy to transport and transportation of illegal aliens resulting in death.

They were also charged with conspiracy to transport and transportation of aliens resulting in serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy.

If convicted, Zamorano and Martinez could face life in prison or the death penalty. 

A grand jury also returned indictments against two Mexican citizens suspected of possessing a firearm while unlawfully present in the United States.

Juan Claudio D’Luna-Mendez, 23, and Juan Francisco D’Luna-Bilbao, 48, face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

The truck was carrying migrants from Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras.

It was discovered abandoned in a desolate industrial area about 160 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border.

The 18-wheeler went through a border patrol checkpoint but wasn’t inspected.

Temperatures in the area that day had soared as high as 103 Fahrenheit.

In addition to the 50 adults and three children that died, ten adults and one child were transported to area hospitals with injuries. Officials described the incident as a “mass casualty event.”

The surviving victims were hot to the touch, all suffering from heat stroke and exhaustion.

They suffered horrendously for what could have been for hours

Charles Hood, the San Antonio fire chief, told reporters that the tractor-trailer was refrigerated, but there was no water or visible working air conditioning unit inside.

Unsure how long people inside the truck had been dead,

the Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio acting special agent, Craig Larrabee, described the incident as “the U.S. worst human-smuggling event.”

“In the past, smuggling organizations were mom and pop. Now they are organized and tied in with the cartels. So you have a criminal organization that has no regard for the safety of the migrants. They are treated like commodities rather than people,” Larrabee told CNN.

President Joe Biden issued a statement Tuesday calling the deaths “horrifying and heartbreaking,” blaming the criminal alien smuggling industry for preying on migrants.

Biden also highlighted the U.S.’s anti-smuggling efforts, which have led to more than 2,400 arrests.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas Tweeted he was “heartbroken by the tragic loss of life today and am praying for those still fighting for their lives.”

“Far too many lives have been lost as individuals — including families, women, and children — take this dangerous journey,” he went on to Tweet.

“Human smugglers are callous individuals who have no regard for the vulnerable people they exploit and endanger in order to make a profit. We will work alongside our partners to hold those responsible for this tragedy accountable and continue to take action to disrupt smuggling networks.”

Contact Shunnarah Law For Your Legal Needs

Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys is known nationwide for providing outstanding legal advice and excellent representation. We have recovered over $1 billion in lawsuits, including wrongful death claims. If you lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligence, call 1-800-229-7989 today for a free consultation. With our combined years of trial and complex litigation experience, our attorneys will fight harder than anyone else to get you the compensation you deserve.

References:

https://abcnews.go.com/US/46-people-found-dead-18-wheeler-san-antonio/story?id=85820560

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/four-indicted-smuggling-incident-that-killed-53-migrants-texas-2022-07-21/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/07/20/san-antonio-migrant-tractor-trailer-smuggling-operation/10113927002/

https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/29/us/san-antonio-migrant-truck-deaths-charges-filed/index.html

Elon Musk has decided he wants to break off his agreement to buy Twitter.

According to legal experts, he might have good reason to back out of the $44 billion agreement without having to pay a hefty penalty.

Twitter’s board chair responded to Musk’s letter by announcing that the company would file a lawsuit.

Twitter Continues Force On Musk Complete The Deal

Twitter sued Elon Musk on Tuesday for pulling out of the $44 billion deal to buy the social media platform.

The lawsuit, which was filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery, sets the stage for a drawn-out legal battle.

Twitter will seek to have Musk follow through on the acquisition or require him to pay the $1 billion break-up fee outlined in the original agreement.

“Having mounted a public spectacle to put Twitter in play and having proposed and then signed a seller-friendly merger agreement, Musk apparently believes that he — unlike every other party subject to Delaware contract law — is free to change his mind, trash the company, disrupt its operations, destroy stockholder value, and walk away,” the lawsuit says.

Twitter’s legal action comes after Musk agreed to buy the company in April.

The deal’s status has been up in the air for weeks, as the Tesla CEO’s public comments about spam accounts and fake accounts have raised questions about his next moves. 

The Court Could Order The World’s Richest Person To Pay Damages Instead

Since Musk suddenly has cold feet, he could be forced to pay damages.

But even though there is precedent to force a buyer to complete a deal, the court may be reluctant to do so, said Donna Hitscherich, a professor at Columbia Business School.

She said the court would typically put the parties in their position before the unfortunate events occurred.

Musk may not be ordered to buy Twitter in that case, but they could stick him with billions of dollars in damages.

That amount will likely be less than the $44 billion Musk agreed to pay, but it avoids the awkward situation of forcing Musk to buy a company he no longer wants to own.

Musk Believes Twitter Broke Their Agreement

“Mr. Musk is terminating the Merger Agreement because Twitter is in material breach of multiple provisions of that Agreement, appears to have made false and misleading representations upon which Mr. Musk relied when entering into the Merger Agreement, and is likely to suffer a Company Material Adverse Effect,” Musk’s lawyers wrote in a letter to Twitter’s Chief Legal Officer Vijaya Gadde.

Musk points to his unfounded claims that Twitter is misleading its investors and users about the size of its fake account population, which the company estimates to be less than 5% of total accounts.

But Musk had no apparent qualms with Twitter’s bot count before signing the sale agreement.

He actually mentioned he planned to take on the platform’s spam problem as the company’s new owner.

It’s assumed that Musk wants out because the stock market took a dive shortly after the terms of the deal were agreed upon.

That dive also took a solid chunk of his Tesla billions over the cliff, his primary source of wealth.

Musk And Investors May Be Looking For A Better Deal

Musk might just want Twitter to lower its sale price.

Twitter shares recently fell 8% and are down about 23% from Musk’s agreed-upon purchase price of $54.20 per share.

The decline is connected to a general decline in IT stock prices this month.

Since the market closed on April 25, when Twitter accepted Musk’s offer, the Nasdaq has decreased by another 11%.

This refusal to buy is probably a negotiation tactic on behalf of Elon.

The market has dropped a lot.

He’s likely using the guise of actual active users as a negotiation ploy.

Musk might feel pressure from other potential investors in Twitter to lower the price, even if the world’s wealthiest person isn’t as concerned.

He is in talks with outside investors for equity and preferred financing to lessen his stake in Twitter.

If he can get the social media company at a lower price, the returns could be greater for outside investors if Twitter returns to public ownership.

Contact Alexander Shunnuarh Trial Attorneys for Your Legal Needs

Our personal injury lawyers work to keep you updated on recent news as well as all business litigation or personal injury information. The lawyers at Alexander Shunnarah Personal Injury Attorneys have experience and knowledge of commercial laws and can help determine if you have sufficient grounds to file a lawsuit claiming for damages. Have more questions? Call us today for a free consultation at 1-800-229-7989.

References:

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/12/twitter-sues-elon-musk-44b-deal-buy-company-00045476

https://www.npr.org/2022/07/11/1110916343/twitter-to-sue-elon-musk

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/13/elon-musk-cant-just-walk-away-from-twitter-deal-by-paying-1-billion.html

https://www.npr.org/2022/07/08/1110539504/twitter-elon-musk-deal-jeopardy

The rate of inflation in America has risen at its highest rate in thirty years.

Compared to the same period last year, consumer prices soared by 6.2%.

This is the most significant one-year jump seen in the government’s consumer price index since 1990.

The Consumer Price Index rose 1.3% in June alone, bringing the last year’s price gains to a sizzling 9.1%.

That’s the fastest annual pace since November 1981.

Energy prices were responsible for more than half of the monthly gains in headline inflation, with fuel prices rising over 11% last month. 

But that’s no surprise, considering prices at the pump reached historic levels.

As inflation strengthens its hold on the economy, the Federal Reserve has started to backtrack on earlier promises that it will be a brief post-pandemic blip.

Inflation will likely get worse before it gets better and could last well into next year.

Price increases show no signs of slowing, adding urgency to the Federal Reserve’s aggressive campaign to cool inflation by raising interest rates.

But that heightens the odds the central bank steers the economy into recession.

Beyond The 9.1%

The headline inflation figure is 9.1%, but increases in the cost of many essential goods are well above that.

The overall category “food at home” is up 12.2% compared to June last year.

Milk is up by 17.1%, baby food by 14%, chicken by 8.6%, and breakfast cereal by 14.2%.

Airfare is up by a whopping 34.1%.

“Virtually every sector has higher-than-normal inflation,” said the head of global economic research at Bank of America, Ethan Harris.

“It’s made its way into every nook and cranny of the economy. That’s the thing that makes it concerning, because it means it’s likely to persist.”

Gas prices rose 4% in May and nearly doubled in one year.

The national average price at the pump hovers at $4.99, inching closer to the inflation-adjusted record of $5.40.

Grocery costs have surged nearly 12% last month compared to the previous year, the biggest increase since 1979.

Restaurant prices jumped 7.4% in the last 12 months, the most significant gain since 1981.

Housing costs are also still climbing.

The shelter index, which includes rents, hotel rates, and what it costs to own a home, increased 5.5% in the past year.

That’s the biggest jump since 1991.

But some costs have gone.

For example, buying a new TV is down 12.7%.

A new smartphone is 20% cheaper than the year before.

Those drops are likely because buying non-essential items has to be put off while consumers rebalance their spending amid a higher cost of living.

Could Inflation Spark A Recession?

With gas prices at an all-time high and with all the other price hikes, are we on the verge of a recession?

The Federal Reserve needs to increase interest rates to bring down inflation without triggering a U.S. recession, which is a tricky task.

Borrowing costs are increased for companies and consumers when interest rates are increased.

That typically hampers economic activity.

Up until now, the U.S. labor market has been solid.

However, the S&P 500’s 20% year-to-date decline reflects concerns on Wall Street that the economy may not take spiking interest rates in stride.

Many experts aren’t anticipating a U.S. recession in 2022 but are recommending that investors position their portfolios defensively for the time being.

Rising interest rates can affect growth stocks.

Discounted cash flow models are frequently used by fund managers to establish their price objectives for growth businesses.

Higher discounted rates are viewed as being less beneficial for future cash flows.

The Russell 1000 Growth Index has decreased by 27.3 percent so far in 2022, while the Russell 1000 Value Index has down by 13.6 percent.

Not all stock market sectors will suffer from inflation.

Rising prices for commodities like oil, natural gas, and other raw materials have enabled the energy sector companies to post historic profits in 2022.

Despite general market weakness, the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) has increased by 21.5 percent this year.

According to John Lynch, chief investment officer at Comerica Bank Wealth Management, rising inflation rates are compelling investors to reconsider accommodative monetary policies in favor of more fundamental value indicators.

How Does The Rise In Inflation Affect Regular Consumers?

Consumers ought to be able to continue making the same amounts of purchases of products and services as before if their salaries rise along with price increases.

But unfortunately, this won’t be true for all consumers, so some will struggle to purchase what they used to.

Your dollar doesn’t go as far, so it’ll be harder to buy everything on your list with the same amount of money.

The impact of inflation on consumers is that as prices rise, people have to pay more for the things they want, limiting their purchasing power.

Everyone will have to pay more; therefore, they might start requesting pay raises.

If wages start to go up, the whole process can get additional amplification, and things can get tough to control.

Then it becomes tough to bring things back.

Contact The Shunnara Trial Lawyers For Your Legal Needs

Our personal injury attorneys work hard to keep you up to date with the most recent news. We understand how difficult times can be, especially with the increase in day-to-day expenses. If you find yourself out of work due to an injury, this could become even more challenging. This is where our personal injury lawyers can step in to help you. If you or a loved one is injured due to someone else’s negligence, call us today for a free consultation.

References:

https://abcnews.go.com/Business/americans-inflation-hits-30-year-high/story?id=81110162

https://www.axios.com/2022/07/13/inflation-cpi-biden-prices

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/why-is-inflation-rising-right-now/

https://apnews.com/article/key-inflation-report-highest-level-in-four-decades-c0248c5b5705cd1523d3dab3771983b4

https://www.newsweek.com/joe-biden-inflation-problem-just-got-lot-worse-1723882

Hundreds of people were ordered to evacuate Yosemite National Park as a wildfire burned through dense forest, threatening the largest grove of giant sequoias in the National Park.

Residents living in the community of Wawona were ordered to leave.

About 700 visitors staying at the Wawona campground in tents, cabins, and a historic hotel were also ordered to evacuate.

The rest of Yosemite National Park remained open, but heavy smoke obscured some of the park’s most iconic views and created unhealthy air quality for outdoor recreation.

More than 500 mature giant sequoia trees were threatened in the famed Mariposa Grove.

Fortunately, there were no reports of severe damage to any named mature sequoias, including the 3,000-year-old Grizzly Giant.

Up to a fifth of the estimated 75,000 large sequoias have been killed due to lightning-sparked wildfires over the past two years.

These sequoias are the largest trees by volume and a significant draw for tourists to the national park the size of Rhode Island.

A year and a half ago, a fierce windstorm ripped through the grove, toppling 15 giant sequoias and countless other trees.

These dead trees and massive numbers of pines killed by bark beetles provided ample fuel for the flames.

The national park service sent a team to the Mariposa Grove to wrap some of the massive trunks in fire-resistant foil to protect them as the blaze burned out of control.

They also set up a sprinkler system in the grove to moisten the tree trunks.

Officials were hopeful that the steady spray of water and previous prescribed burns would be enough to keep flames at bay.

The team prioritized the oldest named trees like the Grizzly Giant.

The 2,000 to 3,000-year-old Grizzly Giant has a vast history dating back to Abraham Lincoln.

Lincoln signed legislation protecting the grove and Yosemite Valley in 1864, paving the way for the creation of national parks and marking the beginning of the modern conservation movement.

Yosemite National Park is composed primarily of wilderness, and fire is a natural component of the environment there.

Instead of putting out fires right once, officials frequently manage them for the benefit of the resources.

However, this wildfire is different because of the threat it poses to Wawona and the Mariposa Grove.

Crews took an all-out suppression approach, including using bulldozers to create a barrier around the community.

They typically don’t have dozers come in to dig a line or have fire retardants dropped in the park.

But that’s how important these resources are.

This blaze is just the latest to menace the ancient giants and sequoia groves, which are only found in the wild on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada.

The sequoias have evolved to thrive in fire, but high-severity wildfires brought on by climate change, drought, and decades of intensive fire control are increasingly too much for them to handle.

Although an official cause is still unknown, park officials believe humans caused the Washburn Fire burning in Yosemite National Park.

There was no lightning that day, so it wasn’t caused by a natural spark.

It’s a human-start fire still under investigation.

Some evacuation orders were lifted in the Sierra foothills, 80 miles northwest of the Yosemite fire, as containment grew to 72% on the Electra Fire.

The Electra Fire broke out near Jackson, temporarily forcing about 100 people celebrating the July 4th holiday along a river to seek shelter in a Pacific Gas & Electric Co. facility.

Contact The Shunnarah Trial Lawyers For Your Legal Needs

The personal injury lawyers at Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys are committed to helping people across the country with injury lawsuits. We strive to keep you updated on recent health and safety information and are here to answer legal questions. From car accidents to fire accidents to wrongful death, we handle many different types of cases. Call us for a free consultation at 1-800-229-7989.

References:

https://www.npr.org/2022/07/09/1110659406/sequoias-yosemite-california-wildfire

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/yosemite-wildfire-doubles-in-size-as-crews-work-to-safegaurd-giant-sequoias

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-07-09/out-of-control-yosemite-fire-threatens-iconic-giant-sequoias-in-mariposa-grove

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/grove-giant-sequoias-threatened-california-wildfire-86506354

https://www.kron4.com/wildfires/wildfire-burning-in-yosemite-caused-by-people-investigators-say/