Nina Pullano
reporter @CourthouseNews
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Articles by Nina Pullano
'Bombs everywhere': Defendant accused of training with Islamic State takes stand
BROOKLYN (CN) — Halima Salman didn’t know her father had decided to move her family into Islamic State territory until she awoke in a van surrounded by armed men. Their faces covered, the men said, “Hurry,” speaking Arabic, Salman told jurors on Monday as she testified in her own defense. Prosecutors accuse Salman of training with Nusaybah Katiba, an all-female battalion primarily composed of IS fighters’ wives.
American woman joined Islamic State group 'to fit in and be cool': FBI witness
BROOKLYN (CN) — An American woman accused of training with the Islamic State group as a teenager in Syria told FBI agents she never got involved with the terrorist organization and was just trying to “fit in,” according to federal court testimony on Friday. Halima Salman was 17 when her father moved the family to Turkey and, soon after, to IS territory in Syria. At 18, she married Abu Ali, a German-Afghan IS fighter.
Judge in Cornell Jane Doe suit declines to issue gag order on attorneys
Fears of internet vigilantism don't warrant restricting attorneys' First Amendment rights, the judge said. The New York County Courthouse in Manhattan is at 60 Centre Street. (Courthouse News photo/Adam Klasfeld) MANHATTAN (CN) — The judge in the Jane Doe lawsuit against Cornell University and seven men accused of gang raping a woman at a fraternity in 2024 declined to issue a gag order barring that woman’s attorney from speaking to the press.
Trump loses challenge to NYC sanctuary city laws
BROOKLYN (CN) — A federal judge on Thursday tossed President Donald Trump’s attempt to undo New York City’s sanctuary city policies, which allow local officials to refuse to transfer noncitizens into federal custody without an arrest warrant. U.S. District Judge Ramón Reyes Jr. found the federal government lacks standing to bring its 2025 lawsuit claiming NYC’s sanctuary city policies are preempted by federal law.
Ex-banker's lawyers want out of controversial sexual harassment suit
MANHATTAN (CN) — Attorneys for the plaintiff in a shocking sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuit asked to withdraw from the case on Wednesday, citing irreconcilable differences that make it “unreasonably difficult” for them to stay on board.
NYC man shot by ICE seeks immediate release, urgent medical care
BROOKLYN (CN) — A week after ICE agents stormed his car and shot Oscar Belgal while his son screamed in the back seat, Belgal, who remains detained with a bullet lodged in his neck, is in urgent need of medical care, he said in a Wednesday filing asking to be released immediately. The Oct.
92-year-old Brooklyn judge ponders when it's time to go
"If at any time, you feel like Judge Block is losing it — it'd be hard for you to tell me that, but you have to try," U.S. District Judge Frederic Block told attorneys at a hearing Wednesday. U.S. District Judge Frederic Block.
American woman accused of training with Islamic State group fights federal charge
BROOKLYN (CN) — Prosecutors laid out their case Tuesday against Halima Salman, an American woman accused of training with the Islamic State group as a teenager living in Syria in 2018, including learning to use an assault rifle. Salman was 17 years old when her father moved her family to Turkey and, a short time later, to IS territory in Syria, where at 18 years old she married a German-Afghan IS fighter named Abu Ali.
Monterey Bay Aquarium off the hook in Maine lobstermen lawsuit
(CN) — The Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation on Friday escaped a defamation lawsuit filed by Maine lobstermen who say the aquarium tanked market prices when it called for people to stop eating American lobster, citing risks to the endangered North Atlantic right whale. A trial court judge initially declined to dismiss the suit from lobstermen trade groups.
NYC climate change suit against Big Oil runs out of gas
(CN) — An appeals court Thursday swatted down New York City’s latest attempt to hold major energy companies responsible for the costs of climate change, agreeing with a lower court that climate-aware customers of ExxonMobil, Shell and BP weren’t reasonably duped by the “greenwashing” of their fossil fuel products. As NYC says in its complaint, the primary driver of climate change is “the extraction, refinement and combustion of fossil fuels,” driving people to seek cleaner energy sources.
DHS pushes for IRS data to carry out mass deportations
(CN) — The Trump administration told a First Circuit panel Wednesday that ICE should be able to demand the Internal Revenue Service hand over the addresses of noncitizen taxpayers for the purpose of mass deportations.
Blue tsunami, wave or trickle? Races to watch as Democrats seek to flip the House
(CN) — As the nation gears up to choose its next Congress, Democrats are angling for a “blue wave” to balance the Republican Party’s grip on the presidency, Senate and House of Representatives. Early polling suggests many of the most hotly contested House races could tip in Democrats’ favor — but the degree to which that happens will have big implications for the power balance across the federal government.
Harvard fights DHS attempt to restore foreign student ban
(CN) — The Trump administration on Tuesday sought to reinstate its short-lived ban on Harvard University’s international student program, arguing that the president has broad authority to limit entry to the U.S. even if the ban is aimed at an American institution. Representing Harvard before a First Circuit panel Tuesday, attorney Paul Clement of Clement & Murphy argued that the Trump administration had improperly used power meant to govern international affairs to target a domestic entity.
JPMorgan seeks bank, phone records in lurid sexual harassment suit
MANHATTAN (CN) — The plaintiff in a stunning sexual harassment lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase asked a federal judge Tuesday to limit the bank’s access to his former employment and cellphone records in its bid to argue the ex-employee has a history of lodging fabricated complaints in hopes of a payout.
NY governor slams response to Cornell gang rape report
(CN) — New York Governor Kathy Hochul on Friday slammed state prosecutors for their response to a reported gang rape at a Cornell University fraternity in 2024, announcing a new investigation and calling for legislative changes to bolster sexual assault prosecutions. Prosecutors in Ithaca, New York, have reopened a criminal investigation into the account of a woman who says she was raped by members of Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity in October 2024.
San Diego pizza shop sues Visa, Mastercard over merchant fees
The Pizza Standard has only accepted Visa and Mastercard credit cards since 2021, so it didn't qualify for a $5 billion settlement inked in 2019. This April 22, 2005, file photo, shows logos for Mastercard and Visa credit cards at the entrance of a New York coffee shop.
NYC takes on Columbia over locked campus walkway
Under Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the city has agreed that the school is required by a 73-year-old easement to keep a cross-campus walkway open to the public. College Walk, a passageway across Columbia University's campus, had been open to the public since 1953, per an agreement with New York City. The university closed its gates in 2023 in the wake of pro-Palestine demonstrations and encampments.
New York prosecutors reopen investigation into Cornell gang rape claims
A young woman's harrowing description of an on-campus gang rape prompted renewed discussion of how universities handle assault accusations. Cornell University from atop McGraw Tower looking southeast; Barnes Hall, Sage Hall.
New York accuses Polymarket of flouting gambling laws
The New York State Gaming Commission has not issued a license to Polymarket or its competitor Kalshi, meaning the platforms don't pay taxes that go toward funding schools and gambling addiction programs. Advertisements by the American company Polymarket predict a victory for Zohran Mamdani in the New York City mayoral election, Nov. 4, 2025, in New York.
Long Island official gets new sentence in corruption case
Edward Mangano, the top-ranking elected official in Nassau County, took bribes from a restaurateur who operated a beach and a golf course in Oyster Bay. The Eastern District of New York courthouse in Central Islip, Long Island. (Nina Pullano/Courthouse News) CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (CN) — Former Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano was ordered Wednesday to serve 10 years in prison after he was found guilty of taking bribes from a local restaurateur while in office.
New York, Maine lead challenge against Trump offshore wind dealings
Eight states claim the Trump administration's offshore wind project cancellations are an illegal use of taxpayer money and sabotage their efforts to keep up with growing energy demands. Turbines are visible at Sunrise Wind offshore wind farm that is under construction off the coast of Montauk Point, New York, April 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Joshua A.
Glock and gun advocates challenge Connecticut handgun ban
(CN) — Glock Inc. and gun rights activists sued Connecticut in separate complaints on Monday, challenging a ban on Glock-style semiautomatic handguns set to take effect soon. Starting Oct. 1, a state law will make it a felony to sell semiautomatic weapons known as cruciform-trigger handguns. The term refers to the cross-shaped trigger bar that moves back and down to release the firing pin when the trigger is pulled.
'Not about guns': Gun rights groups sue New Jersey over weapons restrictions
(CN) — Gun rights advocates sued New Jersey officials on Monday, claiming the state’s weapons laws are so broad that they prohibit people from carrying everyday objects like baseball bats and scissors for self-defense. “This lawsuit is not about guns. It is about arms, but not guns,” the plaintiffs say in the introduction to their 28-page federal complaint, accusing New Jersey’s attorney general of thwarting U.S. Supreme Court precedent in the landmark Bruen case.
25 years later, daffodil planting tradition honors 9/11 loss
NEW YORK CITY (CN) — Days after the World Trade Center towers fell, a city in the grasp of confusion, chaos, fear and loss received an unexpected gift from more than 3,000 miles away. A Dutch bulb supplier, Hans van Waardenburg, and the city of Rotterdam sent New York City a million daffodil bulbs. That autumn, across the five boroughs, 10,000 volunteers gathered to plant the bulbs to honor those lost in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and to revitalize the city grappling with grief.
Huawei rebuts criminal charges at trial over trade secrets, Iranian sanctions
BROOKLYN (CN) — One of the world’s largest telecommunications businesses is gearing up to defend itself from the U.S. government’s accusation that the China-based company, Huawei, stole technology from American companies and violated sanctions by lying to banks about its business dealings in Iran. After a day of jury selection, prosecutors and defense attorneys gave opening statements on Wednesday at a trial expected to last about three months in the Eastern District of New York.
'Boardwalk Empire' actor Michael Pitt signals possible plea deal in sexual assault case
BROOKLYN (CN) — Actor Michael Pitt, who was indicted last year on sexual abuse and strangulation charges, signaled Tuesday that he may seek a plea deal with state prosecutors after failing to get the criminal case against him dismissed. Brooklyn prosecutors accuse Pitt, 45, of physically, sexually and emotionally abusing his ex-girlfriend in a series of shocking incidents that took place between April 2020 and August 2021 at the actor’s home in Bushwick.
Feds take on Chinese tech giant at trial over Iranian sanctions
Huawei denies violating sanctions against Iran and stealing trade secrets from American companies, insisting its technological developments are the result of hundreds of billions of dollars in investments. Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Huawei, leaves home to attend what is expected to be the final day of her extradition hearing at B.C. Supreme Court, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021.
Feds fight to detain man convicted, then acquitted of killing Jam Master Jay
MANHATTAN (CN) — Judges of the Second Circuit questioned on Tuesday whether a man found guilty of killing hip-hop’s Jam Master Jay should be released from jail after a federal judge overturned his murder conviction. Prosecutors say Karl Jordan Jr., the godson of Run-DMC DJ Jason “Jay” Mizell, shot and killed the artist in his Hollis, Queens, recording studio on Oct. 30, 2002, after a failed drug deal.
Eric Adams’ deputy mayor takes swing at Mamdani over tax on second homes
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (CN) — New York City officials on Monday argued against a lawsuit brought by New York homeowners who say they were wrongfully notified that they may owe a surcharge on their high-value properties. The Staten Island-based plaintiffs claim Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration improperly sent them letters saying they “may be subject” to the pied-à-terre tax.
Public space, private garden?
Sean Basinski speaks in the park outside Guastavino’s event venue on Tuesday. (Nina Pullano/Courthouse News) For decades, visitors have been booted from or even arrested for trespassing in the grassy plaza outside Guastavino’s, a luxe event venue beneath the Queensboro Bridge on 59th Street and First Avenue.
Ex-Abercrombie CEO deemed fit for sex trafficking trial in January
Despite cognitive decline in certain areas, Jeffries understands the charges against him, engages in critical thinking and recalls information about family, friends and current events, a federal judge said in her ruling. In this May 22, 2017, file photo, a store window reflects a street scene at an Abercrombie & Fitch store on New York's Fifth Avenue.
European soccer federation signals criminal case against FIFA boss
Under a now-abandoned plan, Thrive Capital and Joshua Kushner were to pay $4.2 billion for a 20% stake in World Cup profits. FIFA President Gianni Infantino makes comments during the opening ceremony of the International Broadcast Center, Monday, June 1, 2026, in Dallas.
Second Circuit blocks DOJ grab for trans patient medical records
MANHATTAN (CN) — The Trump administration on Wednesday lost its latest attempt to get access to medical records for transgender young people who were treated at New York facilities. Judges in the Second Circuit denied the Justice Department’s bid to stay a lower court ruling blocking the administration’s efforts to seize, offering little explanation.
States push back on mail-in voting restrictions after SCOTUS loss
(CN) — Two dozen states and the District of Columbia filed suit Wednesday seeking to block a U.S. Postal Service rule that tightens rules for mail-in voting months before the November midterm election. On Monday, a Supreme Court ruling dashed an earlier challenge to President Donald Trump’s March 31 executive order requiring the creation of lists of U.S. citizens eligible to vote in each state — and directing USPS to send mail ballots only to verified voters.
Financier Howard Rubin to stay behind bars awaiting 2027 sex trafficking trial
BROOKLYN (CN) — Howard Rubin, a retired Wall Street trader who’s accused of brutally raping multiple women over a 10-year period at his Manhattan penthouse, will stay in jail as he awaits a trial that’s more than a year away. Senior U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan set trial for Sept. 13, 2027, at a hearing Wednesday morning, days after an appeals court denied the 71-year-old former Bear Stearns trader’s request for release on a proposed $75 million bail package.
'You can't sell our public space': Dispute over NYC park heads to court
MANHATTAN (CN) — Iskander Khan grew up on the east side of Manhattan. He was a child when he and his father were kicked out of a small park beneath the Queensboro Bridge on 59th Street and First Avenue — and in the years that followed, avoided entering the rare dot of green space on the densely populated island. “When I’ve been here since, it’s always felt like I’m trespassing,” Khan said in the park Tuesday.
Universities sue DHS over four-year visa cap
(CN) — Higher education groups challenged a Trump administration policy that limits how long international students can remain in the United States, filing a lawsuit Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
Trump can't require state 'citizenship lists' for mail-in voting
(CN) — President Donald Trump hit a setback this week in his attempt to leverage the U.S. Postal Service to limit mail-in voting in the November midterm election. A federal judge in Boston blocked an executive order directing USPS to supply mail-in ballots only to states that turned over their voter registries to the federal government.
Man charged with torching historic Brooklyn church planned to burn another: Police
BROOKLYN (CN) — Brooklynites looked on in horror in June as the South Bushwick Reformed Church went up in flames — a building that has marked the corner of Bushwick Avenue and Himrod Street for more than 170 years. Prosecutors say the blaze was set intentionally by a man named John Jones, who appeared Friday in Brooklyn federal court and is now in custody. Attorney Luna Garzón-Montano of the Federal Defenders of New York appeared to represent him Friday.
New York's Medical Aid in Dying law takes effect over pushback from Catholic caretakers
ALBANY, N.Y. (CN) — A New York law took effect Wednesday allowing terminally ill patients to request medication to end their lives on their own terms, marking the 14th district in the country to implement such a policy. Patients with six months or less to live may now request lethal drugs from their physician under the Medical Aid in Dying Act, which Governor Kathy Hochul signed on Feb. 6.
New Jersey AG sues Amazon over driver pay, conditions
(CN) — Thanks to monopolistic practices by Amazon, delivery drivers earn lower wages and endure “harsher working conditions than they should,” the New Jersey attorney general says in a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday against the e-commerce giant.
NBA guard Terry Rozier takes shot at dismissal in sports bribery case
BROOKLYN (CN) — Terry Rozier, the NBA shooting guard at the center of a federal sports betting case, asked a judge Friday to ax two of the four criminal counts against him, citing a text message he claims should end the entire case against him. Rozier is accused of intentionally undercutting his performance in at least one game, while playing for the Charlotte Hornets, to benefit a group of bettors.
Decongestant class action sputters back to life in Second Circuit
Since the FDA requires manufacturers to label oral phenylephrine medications as effective, drug companies profiting billions from their sale can't be blamed for their uselessness, judges said. Consumers sued the makers and distributors of decongestants including Sudafed PE, Nyquil Severe Cold & Flu, Advil Sinus Congestion & Pain and Mucinex Sinus Max, saying the products don't work any better than a placebo.
Maine asks appeals court to revive super PAC donor limit
(CN) — Maine officials argued Wednesday to restore a cap on contributions to political action committees for the purpose of backing or opposing a specific candidate. Voters passed the law in November 2024, imposing a $5,000 annual limit on contributions to state PACs that make independent expenditures, or super PACs, and requiring the groups to disclose all donors’ contributions.
Judge slams DOJ request for hefty sentence in Brooklyn synagogue crash
BROOKLYN (CN) — After he admitted to crashing his car into the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters in Brooklyn in late January, a New Jersey man on Wednesday received a sentence of time served — plus seven days to arrange for mental health care upon his release. Dan Sohail, 36, appeared in security footage repeatedly driving his 2012 Honda Accord into the Chabad building in Crown Heights. The video shows him driving up to the synagogue just before 9 p.m. on Jan.
Queens Defenders co-founder sentenced to 43 months
While serving as the legal service group's executive director, Lori Zeno stole more than $60,000 and used her position to secure no-show jobs for her former partner's relatives, prosecutors say. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York as pictured in November 2022.
NXIVM cult leader sues Bureau of Prisons over winter blackout
During a power outage in 2019, NXIVM cult founder Keith Raniere says he suffered injuries in a freezing Brooklyn jail cell while awaiting trial for sex trafficking. In this April 13, 2018 courtroom sketch, Keith Raniere, centre, leader of NXIVM, attends a hearing at court in New York.
Mahmoud Khalil files $20 million suit over 3-month ICE detention
BROOKLYN (CN) — Accusing the U.S. government of false arrest and imprisonment, Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil filed a $20 million lawsuit Monday over the 104-day immigration detention that prevented him from attending the birth of his first child. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested Khalil in the lobby of his apartment building on March 9, 2025.
Sinaloa cartel leader gets life sentence
The 76-year-old cartel leader didn't try to ask for a sentence below the mandatory minimum, but requested a prison facility equipped to treat his medical conditions. In this courtroom sketch, Ismael Zambada García, El Mayo, center, is seated beside his defense attorney Frank Perez, left, in Federal court, in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024.
Sinaloa cartel leader, kidnapped to face justice in US, gets life sentence
The 76-year-old cartel leader didn't try to ask for a sentence below the mandatory minimum, but requested a prison facility equipped to treat his medical conditions. In this courtroom sketch, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, center, is seated in court during his sentencing, flanked by a U.S. Marshal, left, and his attorney Frank Perez, right, in federal court in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday, July 20, 2026.
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