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    Daily Briefing: Justice for Sonya Massey

    By Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY,

    7 hours ago

    The U.S. Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the death of Sonya Massey, a Black woman who was fatally shot by law enforcement inside her home. Vice President Kamala Harris is leading Donald Trump in new polling. A draconian abortion ban in Iowa is set to go into effect.

    🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert , Daily Briefing author. Want to talk about death ?

    Justice Department will investigate shooting of Sonya Massey

    One after day after Illinois State Police publicly released body camera footage of Sonya Massey's fatal shooting, civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced the case is now part of a Justice Department investigation. The 36-minute body camera footage shows the rapid escalation that led former Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy Sean P. Grayson to shoot Massey, 36, inside her home in Springfield, Illinois.

    What happened: Grayson and another deputy responded to Massey's house on July 6 after she called 911 to report a possible intruder.

    • In the body camera video : Grayson yells at Massey over moving a pot of boiling water from the stove to the sink. He then threatens to shoot her in the face and screams at her to drop the pot. The video shows Massey ducking before Grayson fires at her three times, including a fatal shot to the head.
    • Grayson, 30, of Riverton, has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery, and official misconduct. He remains in custody without bail.
    • The scope and scale of the official investigation is still unclear, Crump said. But details of Massey's death have prompted major outcry, including from President Joe Biden who called the shooting "unthinkable, senseless" and "shocking, horrifying and heartbreaking".
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2vPiLM_0ubWTDZy00
    Body camera footage shows Sonya Massey talking to deputy Sean Grayson minutes before Massey was fatally shot and killed. Photo provided by Illinois State Police

    Kamala Harris holds slight lead over Trump, poll says

    Vice President Kamala Harris has been quickly building momentum among the Democratic base as she seeks to clinch her party’s nomination - and former President Donald Trump may be in trouble with his new competitor, a new poll shows. Harris is leading Trump 44% to 42% among registered voters .

    💡 Keep reading: Who is on the list to be Harris' running mate ?

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4DPEum_0ubWTDZy00
    Who will be Harris' VP pick? USA TODAY

    More news to know now

    What's the weather? Check your local forecast here .

    Capitol cinches security ahead of Netanyahu address to Congress

    Thousands of demonstrators are expected to converge on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Meanwhile, dozens of Democratic lawmakers do not plan to attend the Israeli leader’s address to a joint session of Congress Wednesday in protest of Israel's ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza, which has led to mass civilian casualties and a humanitarian crisis. Read more

    Secret Service deputy director to lead agency

    Ronald Rowe Jr., the Secret Service deputy director, was tapped Tuesday as the acting director of the embattled agency while the Biden administration searches for a new leader after its director Kimberly Cheatle resigned following the near-assassination of former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania earlier this month. Read more

    Keep scrolling

    Iowa joins states that have near-complete bans on abortions with limited exceptions.

    An Iowa judge has ruled the state's hotly contested six-week abortion ban will officially take effect on July 29, just over a year after Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds signed it into law. Reynolds, who has worked to enact a six-week ban since 2018, called the decision "a victory for life." Read more

    Photo of the day: The moon says let the games begin!

    The moon wanted a part of its own in the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics, aligning perfectly with the rings on the Eiffel Tower on Tuesday night.

    🏅 Want more news from Paris? Follow @USATODAYSports for athlete takeovers and sign up for USA TODAY's daily Olympics newsletter, Chasing Gold.

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3h2S6M_0ubWTDZy00
    The moon rises behind the Olympic rings displayed on the Eiffel Tower in Paris on July 22, 2024. LOIC VENANCE, AFP via Getty Images

    Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here . Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com .

    This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Daily Briefing: Justice for Sonya Massey

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