The Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity is being attacked by President Joe Biden. Hurricane Beryl is barreling toward Jamaica as a Category 5 storm. And transgender runner Nikki Hiltz sets a trial record on her way to the Olympics.
Here’s what you need to know today.
Biden attacks Supreme Court immunity ruling as emboldening lawless president
A new and important decision by the Supreme Court yesterday ruled that the former president Donald Trump has immunity for some of his conduct as president in his federal election interference case. The decision all but guarantees that the case involving Trump’s efforts to halt the transfer of power after the 2020 election will not begin before Election Day.
Hours later, President Joe Biden gave a speech from the White House, called the decision a “terrible disservice” to Americans and portrayed the lack of a pre-election process as a shift from the courts to the voting booth.
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The Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision along ideological lines found that Trump is entitled to key presidential functions and “at least a presumptive immunity from criminal prosecution” for actions “within the outer perimeter of his official responsibility.” The court’s three liberal justices said the conservative majority’s decision would have “disastrous consequences” for the U.S.
Biden also echoed the views of liberal justices in his remarks, warning that the decision means there are now “virtually no limits to what the president can do.”
“I disagree,” Biden said. Read more about Biden’s response here.
The ruling sets the stage for hearings before U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan on which allegations in special counsel Jack Smith’s indictment should be considered official acts. Chutkan will have to decide whether the indictment against Trump can be sustained after removing charges for which Trump cannot be indicted. This is what that means exactly.
More about the Supreme Court decision:
Hurricane Beryl strengthens to a Category 5 storm as it heads toward Jamaica
Hurricane Beryl is now a Category 5 storm and is expected to maintain major hurricane status as it moves past Jamaica tomorrow, the National Hurricane Center said. Beryl first made landfall yesterday morning as a Category 4 storm on parts of Grenada and the Windward Islands — and a surprising record broken before it did. The storm is expected to remain at hurricane strength until it reaches Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula on Thursday night or Friday morning.
Meanwhile, one person is reported dead in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and officials in Grenada say widespread damage is likely. Here’s what else we know.
Mistrial pronounced in Karen Read murder case
Prosecutors said they plan to retry a murder case against Karen Read, the Massachusetts woman accused of killing her police officer boyfriend, after a judge declared a mistrial. Read was accused of driving her Lexus SUV into her boyfriend, John O’Keefe, and leaving him for dead in 2022. Read’s lawyers have described O’Keefe’s killing as a cover-up carried out by police officers.
The jury foreman said in a letter to Norfolk County Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone that despite rigorous efforts, the panel of six men and six women remained deadlocked. Some believed the evidence exceeded the standard of proof needed to convict Read, while others felt prosecutors had failed to prove their case. read more about the arguments put forward during the trial.
California faces a one-two punch weather forecast
A heat wave is expected to begin inland California today, spread to the Pacific Northwest and deeper into Southern California later in the week and last into the weekend, the National Weather Service said. Temperatures could reach 115 degrees in the Sacramento Valley, with some spots reaching the 80s overnight. Dangerous fire conditions are accompanying the sharp rise in temperatures, with Pacific Gas & Electric warning that 10 California counties will likely experience power outages to reduce the risk of wildfires. The two weather threats coincide with the Fourth of July weekend, when millions of people are expected to celebrate outdoors.
See which counties in California are predicted to face “major” and “extreme” heat risks this week.
Death of 13-year-old in police shooting sparks pleas for answers
The death of a 13-year-old fugitive who was fatally shot by police last week after pointing a replica gun at them has sparked anger and grief among community members in upstate New York. Police said Nyah Mway was one of two juveniles arrested Friday in connection with an investigation into an armed robbery. Nyah ran from officers and then pointed a replica gun at them, police said. Video footage shows Nyah was shot after he was tackled to the ground.
Nyah’s death hit members of the Karen minority in Utica, New York, particularly hard. Karens are among the groups at war with the military rule of Myanmar, the Southeast Asian country formerly known as Burma. “It brings back a lot of trauma that we don’t even want to talk about, but unfortunately we have to go through it again,” said LuPway Doh, a Karen leader in Utica. Doh said the community now wants to know why the teenagers were stopped“to the point of why the trigger had to be pulled.”
Paris 2024: Transgender runner Nikki Hiltz to compete at the Olympics
Transgender and non-binary middle-distance runner Nikki Hiltz earned her ticket to Paris this past weekend in the 1500-meter race. Not only is Hiltz headed to the Olympics; she also ran the second-fastest time ever of any American and set a trials record of 3:55:33. In an interview after the race, Hiltz said the race was “bigger than just me.” You can read more about Hiltz’s response here.
More Olympic Games highlights:
Politics in brief
Aftermath of the debate: Days after his disastrous performance in the debate, President Biden said still hasn’t called personally top Democratic leaders to shore up support, five sources said. And former President Trump’s timeline for announcing his vice presidential running mate is paused.
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Staff choice: Owner of ‘ghost ship’ on how his boat washed up on a Florida beach
Michael Barlow dreams of selling his possessions and starting a new life of wandering with his wife and son aboard a sailboat. But those dreams may be on the shelf for a while. One reason is that he had to abandon his ship in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. Another reason: The boat washed up on a beach in the Florida Panhandle a few weeks ago, and now Barlow is has nothing but bad choices ahead of himThis story is interesting on many levels, but what stuck with me most was Barlow’s determination to return to the open sea. — Elizabeth Robinson, newsletter editor
NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
There is no shortage of bargains in the summer: Ulta Beauty’s Big Summer Sale has already started if you need sunscreen or skincare. And there are plenty of deals to be had this 4th of July — but before you dive in, Discover the best deals and which items you should buy later.
Sign up for The Selection newsletter for practical product reviews, expert shopping tips and a roundup of each week’s best deals and sales.
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This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
