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Kenyan Faces Murder Charge After Gruesome Attack in Texas
A 27-year-old Kenyan man, Chrisantus Omondi, is facing charges of murder, aggravated assault, and obstruction of justice after allegedly bludgeoning a delivery driver to death with firewood in a shocking incident on January 13th.
The gruesome attack unfolded on Wendover Drive in Fort Worth, where Omondi, reportedly naked, confronted the driver, Scott Jackson, and the homeowner who had hired Jackson to deliver firewood. Omondi, claiming trespass, shouted, “This is my house, I have the key right here,” according to CBS News.
Jackson and the homeowner instructed Omondi to leave, but he responded by grabbing a piece of firewood and striking Jackson on the head, rendering him unconscious. Turning on the homeowner, Omondi attacked him as well, forcing the man to flee for safety and call 911.
While the homeowner was on the phone with police, Omondi reportedly continued his assault on Jackson, repeatedly striking him with the firewood before heading to an Airbnb he had rented nearby.
Arriving officers found Omondi uncooperative, necessitating the use of a stun gun to subdue him. He was then taken to a local hospital for evaluation before being detained.
Omondi is currently being held on a $312,000 bond (approximately Ksh.50.4 million) and is expected to be formally charged with murder, aggravated assault against a security officer, and obstruction of justice.
France to Anchor Abortion in Constitution
In a historic but contentious move, French lawmakers cleared the first hurdle in their bid to anchor access to abortion in the country’s constitution. However, the victory for abortion rights advocates is tempered by the significant challenges that lie ahead.
A parliamentary committee on Wednesday approved draft language that would offer women a “guaranteed freedom” to terminate pregnancies. This falls short of a full-fledged right to abortion, reflecting a delicate balancing act by President Emmanuel Macron’s minority government. To alter the constitution, Macron needs a three-fifths majority in both chambers of parliament – a daunting task given opposition from right-wing and far-right factions.
The conservative Republicans and the populist National Rally (RN) have expressed strong reservations about the proposal. While acknowledging no immediate threat to abortion access in France, far-right MP Pascale Bordes dismissed the initiative as “far from the concerns” of ordinary citizens. Conversely, Republicans advocate for a balanced approach that considers both “the right to abortion and the child’s right to be born,” along with respecting “doctors’ freedom of conscience.”
Left-wing parties, including the Socialists, Greens, and France Unbowed, argue for a stronger stance, insisting on the text explicitly enshrining a “right” instead of a “freedom” to terminate pregnancies. However, Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti has emphasized that the State Council, France’s highest administrative court, sees no legal distinction between the two terms.
Dupond-Moretti urged parliament to seize this opportunity, declaring, “We have a very balanced text, it’s now or never.” The draft will undergo a full parliamentary debate on January 24 before facing the Senate, where its fate is less certain.
The proposed constitutional change comes in the wake of the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, igniting concerns about the potential erosion of abortion rights globally. Although France boasts relatively liberal abortion laws, advocates see constitutional protection as a crucial safeguard against future political swings.
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