Criminal Justice

Did U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren suggest that Mollie Tibbetts' family has "to remember we need to focus on real problems like illegal immigrants not being able to see their kids"? No, that's not true: The viral meme distorted Warren's 2018 comments on the case in which an undocumented worker was charged and later convicted of the 20-year-old woman's murder. During…

Were the Minnesota shootings targeting state lawmakers and their family members motivated by leftist political views of the suspect, Vance Luther Boelter? While many details remain unclear as of June16, 2025, available evidence doesn't support this theory. Here is what we know about Boelter's political affiliation. A rumor about Boelter's left-leaning views appeared in a post (archived here) on X,…

Did law enforcement find "rolls of cash" and drugs on Kilmar Abrego-Garcia upon his arrest, as was asserted by a representative of the Department of Homeland Security? That's not found in a court document detailing a 2019 police stop involving the Salvadoran man and three others. Police records, newly released by the U.S. Department of Justice, among other files from…

Does a viral video show singer R. Kelly walking out of prison after being pardoned by U.S. President Donald Trump in 2025? No, that's not true: The scene predated the singer's conviction in the 2022 criminal trial. As of this writing, R. Kelly is still on the list of currently incarcerated people on the Federal Bureau of Prisons website. The…

Does a "loophole in U.S. law" legally grant permission to noncitizens to vote in federal elections if they believe they are U.S. citizens? No, that's not true: A professor specializing in election law told Lead Stories that what was referred to on social media as a "loophole" described such a narrow exception that "it's hard to imagine whom it might…

Did ICE detain British national Becky Burke on the Canadian border? Yes, that's true: A spokesperson for the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, asked by Lead Stories specifically about Burke, confirmed a "British national" was being detained in the United States. The tourist had spent at least 10 days in detention as of March 9, 2025, according to her…

Did Gene Hackman vow to "corroborate everything in the Epstein client list" in an X.com post a year before his death? No, that's not true: The user name seen in the purported February 2024 tweet does not exist and there is no indication online the 95-year-old actor was active on the social media platform in recent years. While no "client…

Did the White House offer Ashli Babbitt's family a plot in Section 16 at Arlington National Cemetery? No, that's not true: The claim originated on a satirical Facebook page with a clear disclaimer. The owner of the page is known for tricking conservatives into liking and sharing made-up content. The claim originated in a post (archived here) on the Facebook…

Did President Joe Biden pardon Michael Byrd, the U.S. Capitol Police officer who allegedly killed Ashli Babbitt during the January 6, 2021, protest? No, that's not true: None of the pardons he issued mentioned Byrd directly. Also, the blanket pardon Biden signed for police officers from the Capitol Police who testified before the January 6 Select Committee didn't cover Byrd…

Was UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson about to testify against former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for insider trading before his death on December 4, 2024? No, that's not true: There's no evidence connecting his death to insider trading allegations involving Pelosi, nor has Pelosi been accused of such a crime. However, in May 2024, Thompson was named in an insider trading…