The Philip DeFranco Show - The Karmelo Anthony Murder Trial is Tearing the Internet Apart

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Starting point is 00:00:13 Wayfair, every style, every home. We've got to talk about what's really going on with the Carmelo Anthony murder case that's blowing up online and has ignited a new Cultural War firestorm. Dived deeper into the Belfast attack that sparked a dangerous riot. Makes sense of the bricks and minifigs and minifeges' reckless Ben GoFundMe twist that no one expected in that Lego scandal. And break down with last night's primaries exposed about Graham Platin, Maine and Nevada. We're talking about all of that and even more on today's brand new Philip DeFranco show you daily dive into the news, so buckle up, hit that like button and let's just

Starting point is 00:00:37 jump into it, starting with this. Carmelo Anthony has been found guilty of murder for the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf and sentenced to 35 years in prison. And despite lawyers on actually both sides saying that race had nothing to do with what happened, the case continues to be thrust into the national spotlight by those who argue that this and a handful of other cases show that the Western world is facing an epidemic of violence against white people. And so let's start with what happened, right? This goes back to April. 2025 when both Anthony and Metcalf were 17 years old. And which generally agreed on is this. Their high school track teams were taking part in a district-wide meet in Frisco, Texas.

Starting point is 00:01:08 He started raining and Anthony ended up in a tent belonging to Metcalf's school. Metcalf then arrived at the tent along with his teammates, including his twin brother and told Anthony to leave. It's a confrontation filed that ended with Anthony pulling a pocket knife out of his bag, stabbing Metcalf in the chest, who was then pronounced dead shortly after arriving at a local hospital. But then beyond that, the details have been disputed in court. The defense said that Anthony had actually been invited to the tent, but that when Metcalf and his brother arrived, both of whom were much larger than Anthony, they told him to leave, saying McHaff pushed Anthony while his brother stood nearby for all Anthony knew,

Starting point is 00:01:34 ready to jump in. With the defense, telling jurors that McHav had, quote, no legal right to put his hands on Carmelow and that Anthony had to make a split second decision about whether his life was in danger. And ultimately arguing that prosecutors failed to prove Anthony did anything but defend himself. Where with them also arguing that the stabbing had been carried out under what's known as sudden passion, telling the jury, decisions made in the heat of the moment are different than decisions that come after reflection. They called a few witnesses to the stand, including students and Anthony's former coach, who spoke to Anthony's character and academic success. But then you also had the prosecution calling nearly two dozen witnesses, including several eyewitnesses,

Starting point is 00:02:02 and several of them rejected the idea that this was self-defense. With some acknowledging that Metcalf pushed Anthony to get him to move after asking him several times to leave, but not in a way that justified deadly force. You also had some witnesses saying that Anthony already had his hand in his backpack when Metcalf approached him and saying that Anthony threatened Metcalf. With one testifying that Anthony had told Metcalf, touch me and find out. And ultimately, you have the prosecution pretty much summing up their argument in one statement, saying, you don't get to meet a shove with a stab, especially if you provoke the shove. And so then with all that, you have the judge also allowing the judge.

Starting point is 00:02:27 also allowing the jury to consider manslaughter charges, or which would have carried a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, but it took them less than three hours to agree on the first degree murder conviction. A conviction that could have actually carried a maximum sentence of 99 years, but they decided on 35. And while he was otherwise tried as an adult, the death penalty hadn't been considered

Starting point is 00:02:42 since Anthony was a minor at the time of Metcalf's death. But also the fact that it's only prison time, it's something that many on the right have taken issue with. With people like Congressman Randy Fine, MAGA influencer Matt Wall, alleged human trafficker Tristan Tate and Far-Right commentator Nick Fuentes, all among those having called for Anthony's life to be ended.

Starting point is 00:02:57 The date saying that it should be done by firing squad and televised live, while Fuentes, he's backed the idea of a public execution and also you have people pointing out how he once said on his show. This young man who killed a beautiful young white person who was productive and was going to contribute to society, he should be made an example of by the law. You have this persistent problem of brutality from blacks, brutal, merciless, senseless violence from adolescent black men.

Starting point is 00:03:24 I think there has to be something done about it. We should deliver the death penalty in equal measure to the killer. And in order to send that message, we have to do it in public. And when Fentes, you know, he gets a ton of views saying stuff like this. He is by no means, the only one that's been emphasizing that this was a case of a black person killing a white person. For just a couple of weeks after Metcalf's death, you had Jake Lang, a pardon January 6th rioter and the leader of a group called Protect White America. He organized a small demonstration at the stadium, which, of course, then drew counter-protesters

Starting point is 00:03:52 with actually Metcalf's father being among those denouncing the protest. And then connected to all that, Anthony's family, they've been harassed, doxed and swatted, as well as falsely accused as spending hundreds of thousands of dollars raised for legal fees on a new house and a car. You've had people like far right influencer Benny Johnson actually arguing that Anthony's parents, they should go to prison too. And then also the judge who lowered Anthony's bond to $250,000 allowing him to go free while awaiting trial. He was also the target of attacks. And then last week, right, Jake Lang, he was back outside of the courthouse shouting that Anthony should be lynched.

Starting point is 00:04:19 And then also on the flip side, you had supporters of Anthony gathering and, sometimes clashing with the other group, some shouting Free Carmelo. Also with this, I should note that there are those on the left who aren't so much in the Free Carmelo camp. It hasn't been a pure left versus right situation. Also, one of the major criticisms that we've seen is that none of the jurors in this case were black. Though that said, you have a number of experts saying there's no sign that that was deliberate, and the jury was otherwise fairly diverse. But then still, you have plenty saying that is an issue.

Starting point is 00:04:43 Reporting to research, that's shown that public perceptions of violence can change depending on the race of the victim and offender. And actually historically, in the U.S., whether or not race is a factor in an alleged crime, many say that it's often been a factor in the outcome of a trial, especially if the suspect is black and the victim's white. And so you've seen some arguing at the trial and the outcome may have looked very different if the roles were reversed. And to make their point, some have pointed to comparisons of other high-profile cases where race became a flashpoint. Many pointing to the situation with George Zimmerman, for example, acquitted a second-degree murder and manslaughter after shooting and killing, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, arguing self-defense. But then also with this, you have some folks on the right, bringing up an example that they say proves their point about this being part of a wider issue about anti-white violence. Where with former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Green, for example, comparing the Metcalf case to that of Irina Zorozka,

Starting point is 00:05:23 she's a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who was fatally stabbed in North Carolina last August. And in that instance, the man that killed her, he was found incompetent to stand trial for now, which Green basically argued is letting him off easy. And then, going back to Fuentes, you had him bringing up that fatal stabbing of Henry Novak in the UK that we've been talking about, writing on Twitter, he was clearly motivated by nothing other than pure racial hatred for white men, just like the sick killer in the UK, saying the courts need to make an example out of these pieces of shit to send a message that this evil won't be tolerated. And also the outrage around Novak's killing has contributed to the growing anger around another terrible murder in Belfast.

Starting point is 00:05:53 We talked about that on yesterday's show, but since then, the rage has ballooned into protests and massive riots where you've had masked men setting cars and homes on fire as families fled for safety. And this, after earlier this week, you had a man brutally stabbed on the street who's currently in serious condition with injuries to his face, neck, and back, and even lost a nine. Video of that attack. It's gone viral online with people everywhere condemning this horrific violence. And the suspect, he's been arrested and charged with attempted murder, but also there's been a ton of focus on the fact that he came to Northern. Ireland from Sudan. With that, you've had tons of far-right voices in the UK and really all over the world using this tragedy to stir up anti-immigration rhetoric and racism. And because tensions around these subjects are already heightened over there, you've had tons of leaders trying to urge people to remain calm and protest peacefully, knowing just how easy it is for things to hand. But instead, you've had many turning up the heat with, for example, the UK's far-right Restore Party writing things like,

Starting point is 00:06:38 Do not make peace with evil, destroy it. And saying with the British people's approval, a restore Britain government will put murderous third world savages to death. You also had anti-immigrant activist Tommy Robinson, accusing Prime Minister Kier-Starmer of welcoming terrorists into our country and said that the government has blood on their hands for granting the suspect asylum. With them also sharing information on the protests happening there, and then you also have people like Elon Musk sharing that information to even more people. Or with Musk bouncing between retweeting a bunch of inflammatory posts about the crime and also telling people that only by protesting repeatedly and loudly will there be any change. And the protests in Belfast quickly turned chaotic. Again, homes getting set on fire as rioters, many of them masks targeted buildings

Starting point is 00:07:12 that they believed immigrants lived in. You had vehicles sit on. on fire as well and some transport services in and around the city had to be shut down. And it's left the community frightened and shaken with one BBC reporter explaining. We've seen police officers and firefighters having to actually rescue families from those buildings, bringing them out through the flames. So there has been disruption on the streets of Belfast this evening. There has been damage to some property. And in some places, there is a serious risk to life.

Starting point is 00:07:39 This is exactly what the authorities were worried about. It's what they've warned of. And when it comes to the damage, you have footage from this morning showing, Aftermath showing cars completely destroyed and turned to ashes, homes scorch with windows shattered. So far, you've had the police service in Northern Ireland posting that at least two arrests were made in relation to all this. You've got officials condemning the violence as an act of self-harm to communities impacted and adding, this disorder is an insult to the victim of this assault, an insult to the members of the public who bravely stepped forward to save his life, and the officers who rushed to the scene.

Starting point is 00:08:06 You've also had the family of the stabbing victims speaking out against the riots, saying, this has been a massive shock to our whole family, and right now our only priority is being at his bedside and helping him recover. They also said that the unrest wasn't welcome, end quote, We have many migrants who make a deeply valuable contribution to our country, including in our healthcare system and hospitality sector, and we depend on them to make our country work, saying we do not want this terrible tragedy to be used to divide people

Starting point is 00:08:28 or fuel hostility. And so then with that, you've seen some specifically calling out social media companies for allowing incensed rhetoric on their platforms, arguing that it's contributed to the violence. With many there also calling out Elon Musk directly for not only owning a platform where this kind of rhetoric thrives, but adding to it himself.

Starting point is 00:08:42 With one in peace saying the government needs to quote, take action against tech billionaires like Musk who control divisive algorithms that incite hatred. And you also had Northern Ireland's justice minister saying, when you have people like Elon Musk actually retweeting protests without the context that we have in Northern Ireland, that so often street demonstrations will spill over into violence. And without knowing the temperature that we're dealing with here,

Starting point is 00:09:05 it just goes to show that they're willing to exploit what was an absolutely tragic and horrific event in order to make a wider political point. I would hate to think my politics was so base that when someone almost loses their life, my first thought is, how do I exploit this for my political gain? Also, Prime Minister Kirstarmer has condemned the protest as unacceptable, and adding, it is clear that people were targeted last night because of their backgrounds and I will not tolerate. And then you've had others being even more direct when calling out the racism behind,

Starting point is 00:09:34 as with one MP who represents part of Northern Ireland saying, What you're saying is a race-based pogrom. We are seeing men going door to door asking to get the foreigners out. based exclusively on the color of their skin. It's not based on what they're contributing to society, what their status here is. With many also arguing that the racism behind the riots is also highlighted by the fact that there are other serious crime trends in Northern Ireland that do not result in this same attention. And in particular, violence against women. Some reports have claimed that Northern Ireland is actually the most dangerous place to be a woman in and around the UK,

Starting point is 00:10:05 right is it as one of the highest Femicide rates in Europe. And while news of just terrible murders have made major headlines, they haven't led to this level of outrage. And you had many arguing that this just shows how people are cherry-picking the crimes that serve their political agendas. But that said, I will note that the outrage does not appear to be going anywhere, even as you have these leaders trying to rein it in. Belfast's mayor has reportedly been facing serious death threats amid the chaos. You also have far-right MP, Rupert Lowe, naming the politicians that he says were responsible for the border when the stabbing suspect entered the country, writing a letter demanding that they explained how he was let in and adding, public or rightly demanding answers.

Starting point is 00:10:36 And as for where things stand right now, you have the police saying that they have an increased presence across the country in the coming days, and some events, they've even been canceled out of fear that more riots could be on the way. For now, again, of course, I'd love to know everyone's thoughts here, but especially if you are in or around the UK or Northern Ireland, what are your thoughts here? Then there's more that we've got to dive into in just a minute, but first let me thank a sponsor and say, you know, I'm just going to say it.

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Starting point is 00:11:46 Mittmobles for you. Shop plans at mintmobile.com slash DeFranco or scan that QR code. Again, that's mintmobile.com slash defranco. But then, I've been right back into the news. There are a bunch of super important primary elections yesterday that we need to talk about. We're starting off in Maine, where you have easily one of the single most talked about closely watch and consequential contest of the entire election cycle, though right now we kind of knew what was going to happen. Because you've got incumbent, Republican Susan Collins, running unopposed for a sixth term, but also the Democratic nominee, Graham Platner, he's been given Dem's hope for a little bit

Starting point is 00:12:13 that they could actually finally flip the seat that they've been lusting for ever since Collins' first one years ago. And with them, there are a number of different factors of play. For one thing, Collins is now the only Senate Republican to represent a state that presidential nominee Kamala Harris won in 2024. And while Collins isn't exactly MAGA, you have many saying, you know, she kind of allows him to run rampant. And that's as you have Trump's absolutely abysmal approval ratings,

Starting point is 00:12:34 possibly doing her in in November. And that's as you've had many saying that she could be facing the strongest Democratic opponent she's had in three decades. With that being Graham Platner, who's a 41-year-old oyster farmer who is, well, the veteran of the Marines and the Army. He's run an incredibly successful campaign

Starting point is 00:12:46 as a Bernie Sanders-style populace with a strong anti-establishment pitch. He's had an enormous groundswell of support, and as a late May, he even raised more money than any other candidate for the seat, including Collins herself. And he was expected to win his primary easily after the only other major primary opponent, current governor Janet Mill,

Starting point is 00:13:00 suspended her campaign back in April. The name was still on the ballot, and so heading into the polls yesterday, one of the biggest questions was, well, how big of a margin will Plattener win by? Especially because despite all the support, Plattner's campaign's also been plagued by numerous controversies. First, you had old Reddit post servicing where Platner had downplayed military sexual assault, used homophobic slurs, demeaned women, and made other controversial comments,

Starting point is 00:13:19 all of which he apologized for. Then came out the pictures of a tattoo he had, resembling a Nazi symbol, though he later had it covered up and claimed that he didn't know the connection. And then just in the last two weeks, you had things coming out that Platner had sent sexually explicit messages to multiple women while married, and three women who dated him came forward alleging that he had been volatile and physically intimidating in their relationships. And so then with that, you had more Democratic. questioning Platner's ability to actually beat Collins in the general election. And it's another reason why you had political analysts just super closely watching the primary margins to see whether people would protest vote for Mills.

Starting point is 00:13:47 And she did actually get a sizable chunk of the vote for someone who suspended their campaign. With 90% of the votes in as a recording, she's currently hovering at just above 19%. And when you combine that with the other candidates in the race, it means that nearly a third of primary voters cast their balance for other Democrats. So he had places like the New York Times saying that margin, it suggested that some Mainers remain skeptical of him and left him with the challenge of persuading voters in the general election that Miss Collins's shortcoming were greater than his. And it looks like Platner's already trying to do that with him delivering a fiery victory speech last night, where he seemed to acknowledge that he needs to work to repair credibility while also trying to shift focus to Collins and attacking her on the issues. I've made mistakes in my life, mistakes that I regret that I live with, and that I continue to learn from. And to any of those who feel let down or disappointed or disillusioned, it is my job to earn your trust, faith, and support.

Starting point is 00:14:35 And I will spend every day of this campaign, and if I have the privilege, every day in the United States Senate, doing exactly that. Now, the national pundits, the political establishment, they keep looking for that one story, that one headline, that one moment in my life that they can define the campaign by. But in trying so hard to understand me, they failed to understand that this is not about me at all. This is a movement about us. If you believe, as I do, that we can change our politics and change our country, then you must also believe that people can change. With Plattener, then, also going on to slam Collins' record, blasting the moderate image that she's been cultivating and trying to tie her to Trump. If you are an independent voice, why do you vote with Donald Trump 95% of the time? Susan Collins is only by

Starting point is 00:15:41 bipartisan when it doesn't matter. And when Plattner's chances of beating Collins, they're up in the air right now. One thing that we do know for sure is that this is gonna be a messy, heated, and expensive race where Republicans are gonna try to air his dirty laundry as much as possible. And in fact, they're already starting.

Starting point is 00:15:55 Literally within hours of the polls closing yesterday, the National Republican Senator Committee released a digital ad calling Collins a senator we can be proud of while painting Platner as a scandal-ridden candidate who's too out of touch. Then also, look it away from Maine, we saw the continuation of an important trend this cycle,

Starting point is 00:16:09 victories by candidates backed by her aligned with Donald Trump. Right in the crowded Republican primary for South Carolina's governor, the candidate that Trump endorsed current Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evett. She led the pack with nearly all votes counted. Though notably, she wasn't able to get the majority

Starting point is 00:16:21 of the vote needed to avoid a runoff. And so that means that she's gonna have to face off against state Attorney General Alan Wilson in a few weeks. And that runoff, it's definitely not just guaranteed in the bag as of recording. There's only a three point difference between a vet and Wilson.

Starting point is 00:16:32 And neither of those two got more than 30% as of recording. But in another indication, a Trump's sway over the party, we saw Representative Nancy Mace, not just losing, but getting destroyed, in the gubernatorial race. Where for the last few years, she has been increasingly MAGA

Starting point is 00:16:45 and fought to align herself with Donald Trump after initially flipping her district by running as a moderate. But then, after aggressively pushing for the release of the Epstein files, she lost Trump's favor. While she still tried to run for governor

Starting point is 00:16:54 as a Trump-aligned candidate, it did not work. She is right now in almost dead last, in fifth place with just 12% of the vote. And then on the note of Republicans who strongly opposed Trump but then bent the knee and became staunch allies,

Starting point is 00:17:06 we of course have to talk about Senator Lindsay Graham because he also faced a closely watched and crowded primary that included at least one serious challenger in the possibility that he could be forced into a runoff. But thanks at least in part to Trump's backing, he was able to easily avoid a runoff, securing nearly 57% of the vote.

Starting point is 00:17:18 Also, in North Dakota, you had the incumbent representative for the state's sole house seat easily beating a primary opponent with help from Trump's backing. And then in Nevada, all three of the House candidates that Trump endorsed won their primaries.

Starting point is 00:17:27 But again, as we look toward the general, it's going to be very important to see if those ties with Trump, they end up hurting some of those candidates. Right in Nevada, specifically, Democrats currently hold three of the state's four house seats. While they are favored to keep them, the third district in particular,

Starting point is 00:17:39 is viewed as competitive. And keeping all three of those seats, it's absolutely imperative for Democrats if they want any hope to take in the House. But you've got Republicans hoping that a decent victory for incumbent Governor Joe Lombardo at the top of the tickets is going to help them flip that seat. So as far as a victory from Lombardo, that is not at all secure. Right, yes, well, he won his primary handedly without any real challenges. Nevada, it's a solidly purple state, and his endorsement from Trump, he could end up backfiring. I mean, even Fox News described him as the most at-risk GOP governor seeking another term this cycle. And after yesterday's primaries, Lombardo is now officially going to be facing a very strong opponent in November.

Starting point is 00:18:09 That's Nevada's current Attorney General, A-Run Ford, who has won statewide elections for his currency twice proving that he has mass appeal in a key swing state. So overall, yesterday, you know, some things in some of the most important races of the cycle, really solidified, but there also is a very long road to November, so anything can happen. And actually, another place that's constantly feeling like anything goes are the courts. Because a judge in Mississippi, they're pushing back against the AI takeover of the legal system by booting, fining, and even banning lawyers on both sides of this crazy case. A case that started with an attorney by the name of Tom Withers suing the city of Aberdeen for breach of contract regarding apparent unpaid legal fees.

Starting point is 00:18:40 He had hired Kathleen Wilson and Chauncey Hunter Ridgeway. Then the city contracted Mark McClinton and Catherine Williams, except the judge in the case, U.S. District Judge Sherry and Acock, they found something a little bit fishy in their legal citations submitted in court filings. She found citations two cases that never really happened. Because as it turns out, both sides had used AI to some measure to do their legal research for them. And shocker, that backfired because the system had hallucinations. And apparently, neither side did any sort of review or verification or anything before they submitted their briefs. With Robert Freund, a lawyer who investigates AI usage and misuse in the legal space,

Starting point is 00:19:12 and the first one to bring attention to this case, calling it a comedy of AI errors and adding. In other words, there were two clients who basically were paying for chat GPT or whatever LLM to argue against itself. And when the judge first called the attorneys out at a hearing in January, both sides admitted to not doing any sort of check and express regret and embarrassment. On one side you had Catherine Williams fessing up to using an unnamed AI tool, trained to produce results for her usual jurisdiction. to do the research with the judge writing. She explained that this case is the only Mississippi case she has ever been involved in, yet she resorted to using the software apparently

Starting point is 00:19:40 knowing that it was not designed to encompass Mississippi law. And then you had Kathleen Wilson saying she used a tool called first drafts to write the entire briefing board. With Wilson, taking the stanza, she didn't know that AI could make something up if it wasn't true, which the judge wasn't even buying for a second. Writing in essence, Wilson took the position that she was unaware that AI could produce hallucinated cases

Starting point is 00:19:57 and explained that she did not even know what a hallucinated case was. The court finds that explanation to be insufficient and incredulous. And in fact, since that hearing, where she apologized for using AI, she's been caught doing it again. With other judges finding hallucinated cases in her filings as recently as April, Baycock writing, her continued AI misuse demonstrates an extreme dereliction of professional responsibility on her part. Though this court cannot consider subsequent conduct that did not occur before it in determination of the appropriate sanctions in this case, it finds that at minimum, Wilson's apologies to this court on January 20th, 20th, 26 were not sincere.

Starting point is 00:20:28 So as far as what ended up happening, you had Judge Aycock finding all four lawyers between 1,000 and 3,500. disqualifying them for participating in the future, outright canceling the trial and issuing a stay in the case. However, their grounds being a violation of Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure when they certified that the information in their filings was factual and correct. And on top of that, Wilson and Williams have actually been barred from appearing in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi for two years. And then the judge is also sending her order to the attorney disciplinary organizations in the states where all four lawyers are licensed. With Acock writing in an era of rampant, unverified AI usage within the legal field, this case presents a prime example of the risk associated with serving as a rubber stamp when acting as local counsel.

Starting point is 00:21:05 And she's right, the issue of AI in the legal field, I mean, it's garnered a lot of attention. And especially regarding this issue of AI hallucinations and legal citations. So you have some experts saying that it's about time, the judges and the court system, they stop coddling these attorneys caught red-handed like this. We're hearing that from people including Dr. Lance Elliott,

Starting point is 00:21:19 who's an AI scientist and consultant who wrote an article for Forbes on this case specifically saying, the expectation is that lawyers are facing a learning curve and a bit more time is required before they'll be able to properly handle the use of AI. In my view, more than enough time has already passed. So one of the questions here is do we see more judges like AACU, by the way, like this isn't even her biggest punishment for AI misuse. Back in December, she reportedly slept an attorney with a $20,000 fine and ordered her to take a continuing legal education course on AI hallucinations. Though you are also seeing more and more people calling for attorneys just to be disbarred.

Starting point is 00:21:48 For now, we'll have a way to see, do attorneys figure out a way to use these tools, just stay away from these tools? Or are we just going to see an increase in attorneys using this and thus more punishments? And then there's even more that we got to dive into in just a minute. But first, let me thank a sponsor. And it actually starts by saying, Ron, They announced the end of military operations against Israel while warning that future strikes in Lebanon could trigger even harsher retaliation.

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Starting point is 00:23:57 SDA slash three-day sale. Driven by Performance Auto Group. For the final block today, you've got some more news you need to know, starting with how yesterday afternoon reckless Ben's GoFundMe, which he made to help Brian Mansell in that ongoing fight for his dad's Legos against bricks and mini-figs, it was taken down. And up to that point, it had raised over $450,000 that would have been used to cover the Mansell's legal fees and to recover the money that they lost through this whole

Starting point is 00:24:22 situation. And with that, well, we don't know exactly why that fundraiser went dark. You had some speculating that it was Go-FundMe, essentially siding with bricks and Minifix. You had others saying maybe it was a legal situation since Ben's facing a lawsuit in charges. Regardless, what you ended up saying a lot of were people laying into both companies. Saying things like, for GoFundMe to caved pressure is disgusting and insanely cowardly. Tim Codigan is their CEO and he should be made to answer for this. It's reprehensible. Why did this happen?

Starting point is 00:24:44 Doesn't this mean that GoFundMe is essentially stealing from old people as well? And bricks and minifigs has officially nuked themselves for this one. Nobody on Earth is going to want to buy from this absolute sleaze pit of a company after this, saying this is corporate suicide. You also had YouTuber Sean Fitzgerald even setting up a new donation on give send go for Ben's defense fund. But then this morning, Ben's original GoFundMe was restored. And again, as of right now, we don't know why it went down

Starting point is 00:25:05 or even why it came back up. GoFundMe hasn't said anything at this point. And so in the absence of that, you have many people online speculating it's because they were getting so much backlash. They're caving to public pressure. With some, even giving Fitzgerald a nod for starting that new fund on a platform that actually has a spine when it comes to controversial cases. And then, while all of that was playing out online,

Starting point is 00:25:20 at the same time, you would the American Fork City Council getting basically consumed by this case last night. And for just about everyone who took the stand, the AFPD was their target. This is unacceptable conduct of the police department. When Paul took office, he said, I am extremely committed to ensuring our community members are proud of their police department and their officers.

Starting point is 00:25:42 I am not proud of my police department officers. In fact, seeing this conduct, I am in fear of standing here with seeing if there's any retribution that they might bring on me. Because that is what they did to this individual. In 2024, I called the American Fork Police Department. when I had a trespasser that was unwilling to leave. Two officers and a lieutenant conducted the investigation,

Starting point is 00:26:05 and when the trespasser was there, one officer called me an A word. The police department during this has demonstrated reckless usage of resources and responsibilities, and it has tainted faith in American Forks' ability to protect and serve. But also I'll say not everyone has flack for the police there, because you also had a city councilman getting emotional, as he thanked AFPD for helping his family stay safe and the blowback from the case. I just want to make a comment and just thank our police.

Starting point is 00:26:34 I know that's maybe a challenging thing. My family ironically had a scenario in the last week where our family was targeted. And I just want to publicly thank those that responded. So with all this at least for right now, it's looking like things are going to stay under wraps for a while as the legal stuff plays out. But with that, I'll say it does seem like Ben's already feeling like he's getting the short end of the stick there. I was not given a chance to share my side. the court just turned their perspective, not mine.

Starting point is 00:27:03 And so for now, the great Lego scandal continues. Right, and then last step today, we've got to talk about some major updates out of Iran because, I mean, we are barely holding on to this ceasefire if there really ever was a ceasefire. Because as soon as things seemed to cool off between Iran and Israel for a second, Iran let off a wave of attacks

Starting point is 00:27:18 targeting U.S. assets in the Middle East last night. And then it appears this whole situation started when a U.S. Apache helicopter was shot down near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. With U.S. official saying that the helicopter was likely hit by a drone off of the coast of Oman while it was patrolling the area. As far as the two American

Starting point is 00:27:30 crew members who were on the helicopter, they were luckily able to escape and they waited in the water for two hours before being rescued, apparently by a U.S. drone boat and a sea operation that was the first of its kind for us. So you had Iranian officials saying the strike wasn't actually intentional, even though they've been firing drones and commercial vessels coordinating with the U.S. With Iran's foreign minister posting that foreign forces in proximity to our territory are at constant risk on account of their own human errors, plane accidents, or potentially being caught in crossfire. And at first, it seemed like Trump was actually going to let this slide. You were the Wall Street Journal saying that Trump repeatedly said the incident, quote, wasn't a big deal in their phone call on Tuesday morning.

Starting point is 00:28:02 Then, he apparently changed his mind after a White House briefing with the Penn Secretary Pete Hegsef and chairman of the Joint Chiefs's Staff, General Dan Kane. Or because by yesterday afternoon, he posted the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack. And from there, Central Command reported that it struck Iranian air defense, ground control stations and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz, claiming it was a proportional response to recent attacks on U.S. forces and international commercial ships transiting regional waters. With an Iran firing back, launching attacks on U.S. targets in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait, though officials say that all those attacks were intercepted. You then had foreign ministers of Arab states on the Persian Gulf, making a joint statement to condemn these attacks saying, resistance in this aggressive approach will only lead to further isolation. So now with all this, you have Iran saying that U.S. strikes at two vital water tanks.

Starting point is 00:28:42 And while, as of recording, that has not been fully confirmed if it's true or not, if it is. I mean, it could leave 20,000 people without water in an area that's ranked as one of the hottest places on Earth, reaching temperatures of 122 degrees at times. So you have environmental experts saying, and already facing extreme heat, chronic water scarcity, and a rapidly warming climate, the loss of drinking water infrastructure is more than physical damage, saying it threatens

Starting point is 00:29:01 the health, resilience, and daily survival of entire communities. And right now, you have many saying it's looking like things are heating back up with both sides getting more aggressive, and you've got the president still sounding off online, saying their military is defeated and their economy is lost, it's over for Iran.

Starting point is 00:29:15 Though there, you've had many pointing to Trump saying similar things over the course of the last few weeks and months. So we'll continue to watch, report, and in the meantime, of course, whether it's this or anything, talked about today, I'd love to know your thoughts in those comments down below. But that, my friend, you beautiful bastard, is the end of your Wednesday, Philip DeFranco Show dive into the news. Though, I do have a treat for you just to click away. I also just uploaded my weekly episode of crashing out with myself and Alex Perlman. It is live. It is fantastic. If you haven't taken

Starting point is 00:29:37 the dip yet, it's the exact opposite of this show. It's 90% opinion over there. And it ends up one-to-punch on a Wednesday. I got a link in the description for you. But hey, no matter what you do, let me just say, thank you for watched and like and subscribing. I love yo faces, and I'll see you right back here tomorrow. They paid off SVU for the night because there were some predators out there. Donald Trump made the They booed the f*** out of that man. It was, I think, mostly tears. It is just Donald Trump denying reality publicly.

Starting point is 00:30:03 Baby boy, Maga whisperer, Hunter Biden. Somebody was talking sh** on it, and he was just like, I'm not one of the elite. I spoke crack in a super eight, not Epstein's Island. If they'd want to believe that it was stolen, they're gonna believe it. To buy that much quartz is stupid. It's grand theft daughter sex. The content will suffer.

Starting point is 00:30:17 My relationships will suffer. Brashing out!

The Philip DeFranco Show - The Karmelo Anthony Murder Trial is Tearing the Internet Apart

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