The disgraced British television personality and Hollywood actor was convicted last week on one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, but acquitted on two other counts of rape and an attempted indecent assault charge.

A jury of eight men and four women in Southwark Crown Court, in South London, found Brand guilty of groping a woman's breasts at a London bar in 2004, sexually assaulting a woman at a London radio station in 2004 and 2005, and raping a woman at his west London home in 2009.

The judge, Joel Bennathan, called Brand a "sexual predator" in his sentencing remarks, saying he displayed "staggering arrogance" and believed that "fame meant you could act ⁠how you liked, when you liked."

For the rape he was sentenced to nine years, plus 18 months for the sexual assaults. Brand is expected to serve at least seven years in prison, and the rest of his sentence under heavy restrictions, such as wearing a tag.

Six women made the allegations against him, spanning from 1999 to 2009.

Before the sentencing Monday, victim impact statements from the women involved in Brand's crimes were read out in court, three by the prosecutor and one by one of the women, who was hidden from everyone but the judge by a screen. 

"I've been in shock and turmoil for years. I was extremely upset and traumatized. I didn't have any respect for myself," the woman reading her statement said, according to CBS News partner network BBC.

"I was thinking I was damaged goods - scared of giving off signals that could be taken the wrong way."

Another statement, read out by the prosecutor, called Brand "a sexual predator who has no remorse … I just hope he is not allowed to hurt any more women."

A third statement, from the woman who Brand was convicted of raping in 2009, said she "struggled to sleep and eat" and "cope with my emotions" after the attack. 

Before the sentence was announced, Brand's lawyer Ian Winter KC said his client was a "fundamentally different person today" compared to when the rape took place 17 years ago. He called the rape a "momentary total failure to respect [the woman's] consent."

Brand was denied bail after the conviction and remained in custody ahead of Monday's sentencing, as the London judge rejected his request to be released on bail to spend time with his wife and children before Monday's hearing.

"I regret the hardship caused to the children, of course," judge Bennathan said of his decision Thursday, according to the BBC. "But the hardship has been caused by serious criminal offending by their father."

Following the verdicts being handed down last week, the BBC reported that police were investigating Brand over additional rape allegations made by two women — one of whom was 16 years old at the time of the alleged incident. The head of London's Metropolitan Police said Friday that he "wouldn't be surprised ‌if many ⁠more [women] came forward."

Hours after the sentencing, Jemima Goldsmith, a former girlfriend of Brand, accused him of "violence, coercive control and abuse" while they were together. In a long statement posted on social media, Goldsmith praised the women "who came forward at Brand's trial" and said she once called "police to have him removed from my house in 2014 during a violent incident," after which she said she had decided not to press charges. 

When the guilty verdict was read out last week, Brand closed his eyes. When bail was denied he said, "I'm good, I'm good, I'm good," before being led away. 

His lawyers argued that the victims' cases were weakened by the fact they had only gone to the police years after the encounters. 

Brand, who had pleaded not guilty to all charges, suggested the claims were part of a coordinated attack on his character due to his prominence as an online wellness influencer and political commentator.

He admitted to leading a promiscuous life and being obsessed with sex as a young man, but claimed he never forced anyone to do anything against their will. 

During the trial, a prosecutor described Brand as a ruthless and manipulative sexual predator.

Linx is now closed until further notice, a week after Capo's met the same fate. The district attorney's office cites 28 incidents, almost all including violence of some kind. 

The district attorney's office filed a petition on Monday but said the bar agreed to close voluntarily last Thursday pending a court hearing next month to padlock it and close it for an entire year.

Councilmember Bob Charland said this was a last resort.

"One of the things the district attorney always says is it's a high bar to take someone's livelihood from them, to shut down this business," Charland said. "A business like this is taking away the livelihood of everyone on this street because of the way that they run their operation."

The bar opened in October 2023. According to court documents, between December 2024 and last Monday, there have been 28 incidents, including violence, marijuana use, not IDing patrons, operating after hours and loud music.

"There definitely needs to be some change around here," said Nate Greenle, who works at The Exchange nearby. "I don't know to what, probably more regulations or something. It is crazy that two bars and it is back-to-back too that this has happened."

Whereas Capo's has one owner, Charland said the situation at Linx is a bit trickier because the bar and the building have two separate owners.

The investigation began in February 2025 after the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry received complaints about minors who were hurt while working at Walmart, Gov. Josh Shapiro's office said. 

Investigators conducted 10 audits at eight Walmarts throughout Pennsylvania and said they found an average of 65 Child Labor Act violations per audit, including letting minors work more hours than allowed under state law and failing to get required work permits for minor employees.

After "identifying a pattern of violations" at the audited stores, the Shapiro administration said it expanded its enforcement efforts to address child labor compliance at Walmart locations statewide. 

Under the settlement, the state said Walmart will pay $7.68 million in administrative penalties on top of $142,785 in fines already paid after the Department of Labor and Industry's initial investigations.

Shapiro called it one of the largest child labor enforcement actions in the nation's history. 

"Pennsylvania's child labor laws exist to protect our kids, and employers have a responsibility to follow them," Department of Labor and Industry Secretary Nancy Walker said in a news release. "When our investigators identified a pattern of violations at Walmart stores, we knew we needed to look beyond those individual locations. This settlement is the result of our team's work to hold Walmart accountable across the Commonwealth, and the future commitments we've secured will help prevent these violations from happening again. Protecting young workers is one of our most important responsibilities, and we take it seriously."

Walmart also agreed to avoid future violations by taking actions like training managers on child labor laws and posting information about employees' rights. 

In a statement, a Walmart spokesperson said, "We're pleased to have resolved this matter. We have processes in place to support compliance with applicable laws, including the paperwork requirements, and we regularly review and improve them."

Despite the officer still being on the job, the police chief told KDKA-TV that the department is determining what discipline he will face.

The chief says the officer is very remorseful, but some community members want action, with one man calling for the officer to be placed on leave immediately.

"A police officer should be held to a higher standard, I think," resident Christopher Trail said. "Wow. I'm kind of flabbergasted right now, honestly."

The video shows a Monongahela police officer stopping his car and aggressively confronting a teenager on a bike, who doesn't say a word in the clip.

Laughter is heard, then the officer directs a homophobic slur toward the boy.

"I think there's enough evidence in there that maybe he should have been immediately put on leave. Everyone is now wondering what this guy is doing while he's still there during this period," Trail said.

KDKA-TV also spoke with the Monongahela City Police Department and questioned the chief about the encounter.

"We were concerned. This isn't typical concerns we'd had with this officer. So, when it did come to our attention, we were concerned," Chief Kevin Harris said.

Chief Harris said his officer was responding to a complaint about teens causing a disturbance near the aquatorium. He said the officer later came forward and reported what he had done.

"After multiple conversations with the juveniles throughout the evening, I think he was trying to instill some concern to the individuals that this is a serious issue, not something to take lightly," Chief Harris said. "He immediately understood that what he said was not of his character and was improper."

Chief Harris says the city and the Teamsters union are reviewing the matter, adding the department is committed to treating everyone with dignity and respect, regardless of sexual orientation.

"We're making sure we address things with the officer, addressing things with the department as a whole, to make sure that everyone is aware of the concerns and working on that as a community and the police department together to move forward from it."

No specific disciplinary action has been announced as of Monday evening. 

The allegations center around a Chinese business executive named Alice Huang, whom U.S. intelligence agencies believe was an asset of China's Ministry of State Security, the country's main intelligence agency.

The CIA, NSA and ODNI did not immediately respond to CBS News requests for comment.  

The New York Times reported last month that U.S. authorities were investigating Alice Huang (no relation to Jensen), a former executive of the Singapore-based Megaspeed, which buys AI chips from Nvidia. The report claims Jensen Huang had a close relationship with Alice Huang, who U.S. intelligence officials believe was a spy for China's Ministry of State Security.

Two law enforcement sources confirmed to CBS News on Monday that the Justice Department's National Security Division is investigating Megaspeed. The investigation involves potential violations of U.S. export restrictions on advanced AI chips, the sources said.

In a message to Nvidia employees Sunday, Jensen Huang admitted, "I was unfaithful to my wife," and apologized for hurting her and their children, although he did not name the woman involved. "There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry," he wrote.

"The NVIDIA Board is initiating an independent investigation in light of recent reporting that founder and CEO Jensen Huang has been the target of a foreign intelligence effort," Nvidia's board of directors said in a statement Sunday. "A committee of independent directors, assisted by outside independent counsel, will oversee the investigation."

The board said it had no reason to believe that the company's secrets or national security were compromised.

"The Board prioritizes U.S. national and economic security, which is paramount to the interests of NVIDIA and its shareholders," the statement said.

John Rizzo, a spokesperson for Nvidia, told CBS News on Sunday, "We trust that if we were the target of a genuine threat, the U.S. government would have notified us."

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters Monday, "The so-called Chinese spy narrative is entirely baseless and constitutes slander and smear."

A company spokesperson said Jensen Huang "fully supports the review" and is committed to continuing to lead the company.

Jensen Huang said he had fallen short of his responsibilities to the company's employees, board and shareholders. He said he is "fully committed to NVIDIA" and will work to earn back their trust.

"Regarding the national security concerns raised in news reports, NVIDIA's Board of Directors has initiated an independent investigation," he said in a statement. "I support the investigation and will cooperate fully."

"I love our country and our company. I am committed to protecting NVIDIA and supporting America's national security. I am proud and grateful to be an American," he added.

Alice Huang was previously a television reporter in China before becoming a top executive at Singapore-based data center company Megaspeed, which has become one of Nvidia's biggest customers in Southeast Asia. Megaspeed bought more than $4.8 billion worth of Nvidia chips over the past two years, according to The Times.

Asked about the report on Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he couldn't comment, saying it was an "internal corporate matter."

On Monday, President Trump called Jensen Huang a "very high-quality person," saying during a White House briefing that "the FBI is looking into it in terms of something else, and I think that he'll be in good shape." Mr. Trump also said he spoke to Jensen Huang on Monday to see how he was doing, and that Huang "said he had absolutely no idea that the person in question was a spy."

Nvidia, the world's most valuable company, has regularly surpassed Wall Street's earnings expectations in the past three years since its high-end chips emerged as AI's best building blocks. The Santa Clara, California-based company reported quarterly profits of $59.69 billion in August.

A video shared on social media shows a large group of people standing outside, many wearing the school's red and white colors, laughing and shouting while a man sits on the ground with his sweatpants on fire. He then lunges at a second person and tackles him. The second man's clothing also catches fire, and they both roll on the ground removing their clothes as several onlookers intervene. One appears to be holding a small fire extinguisher.

University spokesperson Benjamin Johnson said the school has placed Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity on interim suspension while it investigates, and has referred the matter to university and Columbus police. The university did not say how the fraternity is linked to the event, whether the burned men are students or what condition they were in Monday.

"The university is aware of this extremely concerning incident, and the individuals in question are receiving medical care," Johnson said in a statement. "Ohio State is committed to a safe and healthy environment and expects students and student organizations to uphold that commitment and the university's values."

Columbus Police Sgt. Joe Albert said it appears the matter took place on Saturday. Police did not receive any calls for service at the location, but someone called police Sunday evening reporting that the video was circulating online, he said.

Steve Mitchell, CEO of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, said behavior that violates its high standards has no place in its organization and it will take appropriate action to hold those responsible accountable based on the investigation.

"We take this matter seriously and are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident while working closely with university officials and local law enforcement," he said in a statement.

More than 60,000 students are enrolled at the university.

Hundreds of people lined up outside Citizens Live at the Wylie on the Lower Hill for a private memorial to honor the chart-topping singer and Beaver County native who was known as "King Cool." Outside the venue was a chalk drawing of Iris done by local artist Erik Greenawalt, also known online as "The Chalking Dad."

"I was amazed to watch the crowd build this morning because I was the first one here early this morning to be able to finish up the chalk art," said Greenawalt. "I just watched hundreds and hundreds of people pour in there to be able to remember a great one."

Attendees wore tour shirts, custom jackets with Iris' face or album covers and even CD cases to commemorate the 83-year-old Iris, who died on Oct. 26 after battling bladder cancer. Iris' last performance was on the stage at The Wylie's opening event on Sept. 28.

"It was the last place he played, and he opened the stage here, so just a tremendous set of circumstances," said Greenawalt. "He'll definitely be missed."

Jimmy Clark came to honor a man he once had the opportunity to play for as a drummer. Clark and his wife, Deanna, came from Cleveland Monday morning for the event.

"For me, because I grew up on his music, just to be able to play for him ... just to be able to play with people from my generation like that, it was awesome," said Clark. "It's the same thing that when Cleveland lost Michael Stanley, so Pittsburgh lost Donnie. Same level. There will never be another Donnie Iris."

Iris' first big hit came in 1970, when he wrote "The Rapper" with the band The Jaggerz. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart, and No. 1 on the Record World singles chart. Then, as a solo artist, he released "Ah! Leah!" (which reached No. 29) and "Love Is Like a Rock" (No. 37).

Despite his success as a singer and his growing fame, those who knew him best say he was still the same person no matter where he went, and Pittsburgh claimed him as its own.

"It's just symbolic of what Pittsburgh is all about: about community and honoring our own," said Greenawalt.

A public memorial was held on Nov. 5 at Gabauer-Lutton Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Chippewa Township, Beaver County. Iris' funeral arrangements and burial will be conducted privately at another time. 

Monessen City School District announced it will welcome students back on Nov. 16. The middle-high school building was shut down at the beginning of the school year due to mold.

A former employee at the district talked exclusively with KDKA Investigates, sharing documents and video from inside the school that he said reveal a problem that's been plaguing the school for more than 20 years.

"I've said it to them many times that these buildings should be condemned. Kids should not be in any of them," said Ed Szmed, the former supervisor of buildings and grounds at Monessen City School District.

Szmed took video inside the middle-high school and elementary school on Oct. 20 and 21, exposing the state of the buildings.

School shut down after fungal growth found on building materials

In August, the district shut down the middle-high school due to what the district described as fungal growth on sample water-damaged building materials in four rooms.

Szmed, who started his position at the district six months ago, said he was the reason for the shutdown at the high school and the delayed start at the elementary school.

"Within the last six months, actually three months, I've closed both schools: one for mold, the other one for asbestos," Szmed said.

Szmed's video shows inside every room, exposing mold, along with leaking pipes, toilets and structural problems inside the high school.

He told KDKA Investigates that he's repeatedly reported the issues to the administration.

"That's to now, to this point where I'm at being here with you is I've tried many avenues, many emails, just my experiences, but yet it's fallen on deaf ears," Szmed said.

On the same day that the district announced it would be delaying the start of the school year due to "abnormalities" found inside, documents shared with KDKA Investigates reveal a bid proposal by Bactronix Corp., a Pittsburgh-area environmental testing and restoration company, finding the first-floor boys' rooms, first-floor main area, room M-105 and the gym as "highly contaminated" with mold. 

The document described those areas as a "state of emergency."

The report showed six other rooms listed as "in need of action," including the auditorium and the gym.

Szmed shared an email sent to high school staff on Oct. 26, stating that the gym was officially back open for basketball practices. He said remediation was never performed in the gym.

"From your understanding, though, like nothing really has been done in that gym?" KDKA investigative reporter Erika Stanish asked.

"Oh, no, nothing. Because the other thing is, they're trying to push my guys to go in and clean everything, which they're not mold experts," Szmed said.

Superintendent gives KDKA tour

KDKA Investigates took these concerns to the superintendent, Dr. Robert Motte, who invited us inside the school for a tour in the first week of November.

"Our custodians, they were doing the cleaning and some of the ceiling tiles," Motte said.

Motte did not permit KDKA-TV's crew to enter the auditorium during the visit, due to mold killer being sprayed inside, he said. Szmed shared video with KDKA Investigates showing mold on multiple auditorium seats. Motte said the seats would be cleaned after the room was reopened.

"Does the gym have problems?" Stanish asked.

"No. No. They've actually been practicing in there," Motte said.

Motte said the worst of the mold was right across the hall from the auditorium in the concession room. That room is what Szmed and the superintendent referred to as "ground zero."

Motte said the room has since been cleaned up.

"The stuff here was pretty bad, and it was black mold and it was… I think there was something they couldn't identify, so we were pretty concerned," Motte said.

Questions around company hired

Motte said the district hired Alliance Properties Group to complete all the work at the middle-high school.

"They did the remediation, the demo, the renovation, the plumbing. It was one company that had everything we were looking for, and they were able to take care of it all," Motte said.

KDKA Investigates learned that APG is a supply and contracting company based in Connellsville, specializing in flooring, gutters, cabinets and countertops.

According to school board minutes, the board agreed to pay APG $330,446 to remediate mold and repair water infiltration. 

KDKA Investigates learned that APG has no mold abatement or remediation certifications.

"Do they have the qualifications for mold remediation?" Stanish asked.

"They do. There was a process for about two weeks that there was a mold specialist here, certified mold specialist, and she was the one that took the mold out, identified it," Motte said.

We asked Motte and APG who that mold specialist was. Motte sent us two certificates for a Mold Awareness Course that was apparently completed by two employees at Ritenour and Sons on Aug. 27, 2026.

Szmed said Ritenour and Sons is a general contractor based out of Connellsville. According to online records, the company has an asbestos remediation certification.

KDKA Investigates reached out to several local mold remediation companies who said mold and asbestos remediation certifications are not the same.

According to the company that provided the mold awareness certification, GST Environmental, the mold awareness course takes two hours to complete. GST said the course provides background on mold, how workers can protect themselves and some remediation practices.

GST said more in-depth courses are available, but their company does not offer them.

According to its website, GST Environmental offers lead and asbestos courses.

Motte said Ritenour and Sons was subcontracted by APG to complete mold remediation work.

KDKA Investigates asked Motte how the district chose APG for the work.

"At first, it was an emergency situation, so we just contacted them right away, and they were ready to go, because we were thinking, 'Oh, my God, take care of this now before school starts.' But then we did get bids, and then eventually they were the lowest bid," Motte said.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, a licensed and certified commercial mold remediation company should be hired for mold remediation inside a school. The EPA said districts should never rely on in-house maintenance or general handymen for anything larger than a minor, localized issue.  

"Cleaning is part of remediation, but remediation is getting to the root cause of the problem, so even if they come in, all this stuff is not being addressed to the root cause, and pretty much everything is going to go back to moisture," Szmed said.

Plumbing in part blamed for moisture

Szmed said the moisture in the building is coming, in part, from the toilets. He said water from every flush goes directly behind the walls instead of into the pipes.

"Water and pretty much all, out of the 36 bathrooms that they do have, the toilets are leaking behind the walls or onto the floor," Szmed said.

"The last couple days, the plumbers are tweaking things," Motte said during a tour with KDKA Investigates.

On Sept. 18, a mold assessment and limited post-remediation report by Corwin Inspections LLC, an asbestos and environmental inspections company that was hired to do the testing, indicated that at least 13 rooms came back with fungal growth consistent with prolonged moisture exposure and one with significant airborne mold.

Motte told KDKA Investigates that all the mold in the building has been removed and the plumbing has been repaired.

"That's why they're fixing some plumbing. So, that was some, the flush valves were in need to be replaced. So, we replaced all those, which, it's not just like two or three bathrooms in your house. It's like 18," Motte said.

During the tour, Motte began to take KDKA-TV's crew into a men's bathroom before shutting the door and walking away while saying, "Sorry, that one isn't finished yet."

Motte then took KDKA Investigates into a classroom that Szmed said he warned the district about, where he said a steel beam is twisting, causing a wall to buckle.

"Is that maybe why there's a crack on the wall?" Stanish asked.

"Yes, correct. I was just going to say that. Good eyes. If you see the corner's cracked, it's because the ground is shifting outside," Motte said.

"So has the work been done?" Stanish asked.

"It has not," Motte said.

"But kids will still be in this room?" Stanish asked.

"Yep. Yes," Motte answered.

He said the school was built in 1996 on top of pyrite.

"From my understanding, and again, not confirmed, this was a landfill. Like they filled this all in, and then they built on top of it. Maybe I shouldn't say that. That is probably why things are shifting," Motte said.

According to the latest letter sent to parents at the end of October, a structural engineer confirmed that "all structural issues have been resolved."

The letter made no mention of the original mold problem that shut down the school.

"Neglect after neglect" 

KDKA Investigates asked Motte for the latest post-remediation report completed at the middle-high school. He sent KDKA-TV paperwork from Corwin Inspections LLC that was dated Sept. 18.

Motte sent KDKA Investigates video of what appears to be remediation work inside the middle-high school being done on Oct. 6.

According to mold remediation experts, there are three crucial steps to remediation. The first step is to stop the moisture and humidity problem. The second is to make sure the environment is completely dry, and then you can complete the third step of remediating and eliminating toxins.

"We stopped the high school from going in because we had airborne mold in two spots. We had airborne mold in the elementary center, but yet kids are allowed to go in," Szmed said.

"What's the difference there?" Stanish asked.

"I have no idea," Szmed said.

Elementary students returned to the classroom in September, three weeks after a limited mold screening report in selected areas of the school. The findings forced the library to be closed off entirely.

Szmed said this is nothing new, pointing to an AHREA report from over 20 years ago.

"You said some of the reports that you found from 2003 are still problems in the elementary school today?" Stanish asked Szmed.

"Yes, which would be the moisture. They found mold and stuff in the library back then with water leaks. Water leaks are still there," Szmed said.

An AHREA inspection is a federal requirement under the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act mandating all public schools with previously known asbestos materials to have an inspection every three years.

Szmed said the last known report is from 2006.

"There's been neglect after neglect in this entire school district," Szmed said.

The 2003 investigation found mold on the carpet and walls of the library, restricting access to the room 23 years ago.

A letter shared with KDKA Investigates documents that it was sent to the district in 2012 by Microbac Laboratories as a reminder for the district to reinspect.

"When was the latest report done in there?" Stanish asked Motte.

"That probably hasn't been done since then. That's a problem we are trying to correct. It's definitely something that needs to be done with what's going on, but it's a problem that needs corrected. So, and, we contacted the right people for that," Motte said.

Elementary documents also shared with KDKA Investigates are reports from former teachers with environmental concerns in 2003, with one stating she'd been hospitalized six times with pneumonia since 1999 due to a respiratory condition.

"That's the big thing about mold. If you already have preconditioning, it'll make it worse. Like if you're going through chemo, it's harder because your immune system's already suspect, and then you know mold might not do anything to me or you, but the next person, they could end up in the hospital on, you know, life support system because it attacks our body," Szmed said.

Whistleblower resigns over concerns

In August, Corwin Inspections LLC recommended that all stained or water-damaged ceiling tiles in the building be replaced, as well as correcting the cause of elevated moisture or blistering paint on the walls.

Video shared by Szmed of the inside of the elementary school in late October shows otherwise.

"They've been kicking this can for a long time, and there ain't nothing left in the can," Szmed said.

Motte said now that work is near complete in the high school, their focus will shift to the elementary school, where he said only surface mold remains.

"Was at any point the entire school inspected and tested for mold problems?" Stanish asked Motte.

"Yeah, we had the same company go down there and test. They took swabs down there too," Motte said.

"Did they do it in every room though, or just maybe problem rooms?" Stanish asked.

"Probably problem rooms at this point. But again, where they see it, it originates. It builds, goes from there. So, if we kill the, I guess, the head of the snake, it's not gonna, you know…" Motte said.

Szmed resigned from his position the day before Halloween, citing ongoing safety concerns at the district.

He shared his resignation letter with KDKA Investigates:

"After careful consideration, I have decided to resign because of ongoing concerns about building safety, maintenance, and the timely resolution of identified deficiencies. Protecting the health and safety of students and staff is central to my professional commitment. These concerns prevent me from continuing in this position."

Motte told KDKA Investigates on Nov. 5 that a moisture test was expected to be done in rooms inside the high school on Nov. 6. KDKA-TV is still waiting for those results.

In August, a family member of a patient in the memory unit at Concordia at Bethlen, also known as Bethlen Home, filed a report with the Ligonier Valley Police Department.

In the report, the family member stated that their mother's diamond ring was missing and, over the next few weeks, similar reports from others were filed about other jewelry that had vanished, all of which totaled several thousand dollars.

Ligonier Valley Police Chief Mike Matrunics says his department cross-referenced employee names and people who recently sold jewelry on a precious metals website and found a match: Kylie Ezykowsky.

Matrunics says Ezykowsky sold items to a Greensburg pawn shop, and the pawn shop legally bought them and had them melted down.

"You know, I would recommend for anyone, I have my mother in a home, I remove all those items," said Matrunics. "Any personal items, money, cash, jewelry. And you know, especially in certain care homes, where they are there temporarily or maybe long term, there is no need to have those items there. I guess in some ways they want their personal items to feel like home again. I do understand that, but if it is that valuable, keep that in mind. (Theft) is a possibility, and not always can we get the items back."

In a statement to KDKA-TV, Concordia at Bethlen said it is fully cooperating with police and taking steps to make sure this never happens again.

"Upon learning of the allegations involving the employee, we took immediate action to suspend the individual and remove her from resident care responsibilities. She has since been terminated," the statement read.

While Ezykowsky has since admitted to her crimes, she is due in court for a preliminary hearing on Nov. 13.

O'Connor, who is proposing no tax increases but millions of dollars in cuts, pointed to the Gainey administration for the city's tough financial position. 

"The way the budget has been structured for the past several years is a big reason why we are facing these challenges," he said. "We cannot afford to kick the can down the road for somebody else to deal with it. If we don't change course, that would mean cuts to our basic services, like no resources for kids, no park maintenance."

O'Connor proposed a $727 million operating budget and a $145 million capital budget for next year. The spending plan relies on more than $28 million from city reserves, reducing pension funding by $10 million a year over the next five years.

O'Connor said that the challenges will require "careful management," but the city will still invest "in our communities and the future of this city." 

"We will focus on things that will move our city forward, like delivering core government services and making strategic investments in people and in places," he said. 

O'Connor addressed how, in his first year in office, he has made improvements to things like the aging city fleet, affordable housing and making the permitting process easier. He also reaffirmed his commitment to selling Pittsburgh.

"Our city needs to grow," he said. "That is why we are trying new ways to say yes to making it easier to grow here."

Chief of staff Dan Gilman says they are looking for solutions. 

"We clearly need new revenue sources and we cannot continue to just go back to the Pittsburgh residents and ask for that over and over again and still be a city that families choose," Gilman said. 

Meanwhile, Councilwoman Barb Warwick said none of this came as a surprise to council.

"It is a very tight budget year," Warwick said. "That is the reality. Just like last year, we knew city council knew that we had tight years coming ahead."

As for the projected deficit for 2027, "We are currently figuring out where we are going to end up this year," Gilman said. 

"We are at $28 million coming out of the rainy day fund for 2027 to balance the budget, but of course that is based still off of third quarter numbers," Gilman said. "We expect it to change before January."

City council can now make changes to O'Connor's proposal, but they must approve the budget before the end of the year. 

Johnathan Morris is charged with killing police officer Sean Sluganski and injuring another officer in 2023 when they responded to a mental health crisis. 

The trial opened Monday with the chilling radio transmissions of wounded officer Charles Thomas, who moments later would discover that Sluganski, his partner, had also been hit. 

Sluganski, a well-regarded eight-year police veteran, succumbed to his wounds. Prosecutors say that after shooting at and missing a third officer, Morris was arrested and charged with nine counts of criminal and attempted homicide, including murder of a law enforcement officer.

But in the trial ahead, the fact that Morris shot and killed Sluganski and shot and wounded Thomas is not in dispute. In her opening statement, defense attorney Carmen Robinson said Morris, an Afghanistan war veteran, suffered from PTSD and persecution delusions, and was acting in self-defense, believing that his family had summoned police to murder him.

"Imagine you're having a psychotic break and you're delusional, and you believe your mother and your brothers are trying to have the police kill you," she told the jury. 

Assistant District Attorney Ryan Kiray told the jury not to buy this insanity defense, telling them that while Morris has mental health issues, he knew that his actions were wrong. 

"It is possible that a person can be mentally ill and still be responsible for their actions," he said. "That is the case here." 

The officers had responded to a 911 call from Morris' mother, who said her son was having a PTSD episode and had become violent. Kiray said they'd been following Morris while his mother was seeking to get a so-called 302 involuntary commitment order for her son. Kiray said the officers told Morris they wanted to take him to the VA for help, but Morris shot at them instead.

"On Feb. 6, 2023, Morris shot and killed one officer and shot and wounded another who were just trying to help," Kiray said. "He knew what he was doing because he just didn't want to receive treatment." 

For her part, Robinson said Morris had reason to fear the police who were following him, including Thomas, who pursued in his police cruiser. On the 911 tape, Thomas says Morris is on the hood of his car, to which Robinson said it appeared Thomas was trying to run Morris down. 

"Why is he on the hood of your car if he is running from you?" Robinson said.   

Testimony began Monday with a 911 call taker and dispatcher and some of the detectives on this case. The trial is expected to take more than a month.