Courts Reporter

Molly Crane-Newman

Molly Crane-Newman covers the state and federal courts in Manhattan for the Daily News, reporting on criminal and civil justice procedures impacting the lives and safety of all New Yorkers. She follows former President Donald Trump's New York cases and documented gavel-to-gavel the high-stakes trials of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, Harvey Weinstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell. She joined The News in 2015 after moving to the city from her native Dublin, Ireland.

When he took the stand last week, Henley said “very personal” handwritten sheets for songs including “Hotel California” and “Life in the Fast Lane” sold to collectibles experts by Ed Sanders, a writer who worked with the Eagles on a never-published band biography, were never intended to be shared with the public.

Manhattan DA drops ‘Hotel California’ lyrics case amid accusations key evidence withheld

March 6, 2024 at 8:15 p.m.

When he took the stand last week, Henley said “very personal” handwritten sheets for songs including “Hotel California” and “Life in the Fast Lane” sold to collectibles experts by Ed...

New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez was hit with more charges in his Manhattan bribery case Tuesday, days after one of his co-defendants flipped.

National News |
Embattled N.J. Sen. Bob Menendez hit with new obstruction charges in NYC

March 5, 2024 at 6:30 p.m.

New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez was hit with more charges in his Manhattan bribery case Tuesday, days after one of his co-defendants flipped.

The retired chief financial officer pleaded guilty to two counts of perjury at a brief hearing in Manhattan Criminal Court stemming from his testimony in the former president’s civil fraud case, which recently ended with a staggering judgment against Trump and his company execs totaling nearly half a billion dollars.

New York News |
Ex-Trump Org. CFO Allen Weisselberg pleads guilty to perjury in fraud case

March 4, 2024 at 5:38 p.m.

The retired chief financial officer pleaded guilty to two counts of perjury at a brief hearing in Manhattan Criminal Court stemming from his testimony in the former president’s civil fraud...

Sen. Bob Menendez speaks during a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs committee hearing on January 11, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

National News |
Co-defendant of Sen. Bob Menendez pleads guilty in bribery scheme, agrees to cooperate with feds

March 1, 2024 at 4:50 p.m.

Jose Uribe pleaded guilty Friday to conspiracy to commit bribery, honest services wire fraud, obstruction of justice, tax evasion and related conspiracy counts at an unannounced proceeding in Manhattan federal...

Feds said the tech siphoned to Russia could be used to fashion rifle scopes, night-vision goggles, thermal optics and other sensitive weapons systems.

Guilty plea in scheme to supply US-made military tech to Russia

February 29, 2024 at 7:47 p.m.

Feds said the tech siphoned to Russia could be used to fashion rifle scopes, night-vision goggles, thermal optics and other sensitive weapons systems.

E. Jean Carroll departs a Manhattan federal court at the conclusion of her defamation suit against Donald Trump on January 26, 2024 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Crime and Public Safety |
Trump’s motion to delay paying E. Jean Carroll $83M should be denied: lawyers

February 29, 2024 at 10:02 p.m.

In their scathing opposition filed Thursday, Carroll’s lawyers said the request was based on "no evidence at all," contained “back-of-the-envelope calculations,” and was reliant on precedent issued “as teenagers say...

Mayor Eric Adams and Winnie Greco. (New York Daily News/NYC Mayor's Office)

New York Politics |
FBI raids Bronx homes of Mayor Adams aide Winnie Greco

February 29, 2024 at 7:38 p.m.

The FBI carried out "court-authorized law enforcement activity" Thursday at the Bronx home of Mayor Adams' top aide Winnie Greco.

An appeals court judge denied Trump’s request to halt payment but temporarily put other portions of the ruling on ice, including a three-year ban on Trump running a business in New York or applying for loans there for three years.

New York News |
Trump must pay $454M while appealing fraud judgment: appeals court

February 28, 2024 at 8:12 p.m.

An appeals court judge denied Trump’s request to halt payment but temporarily put other portions of the ruling on ice, including a three-year ban on Trump running a business in...

Judge Arthur Engoron was targeted with a bogus white powder scare Wednesday at a lower Manhattan courthouse — as Donald Trump asked an appeals court to halt his devastating ruling and require the former president to put down just a quarter of the money he owes New York state.

Crime and Public Safety |
Trump fraud trial judge Arthur Engoron targeted with white powder scare at NYC courthouse

February 28, 2024 at 3:46 p.m.

Judge Arthur Engoron was targeted with a bogus white powder scare Wednesday at a lower Manhattan courthouse — as Donald Trump asked an appeals court to halt his devastating ruling...

Brooklyn preacher Lamor Whitehead asked God to smite one of his parishioners while refusing to return his mother’s life savings, jurors heard in witness testimony at the "bling bishop's" Manhattan fraud trial on Tuesday.

New York News |
‘Bling Bishop’ Lamor Whitehead asked God to ‘take vengeance’ on victim’s son: testimony

February 28, 2024 at 10:51 a.m.

Brooklyn preacher Lamor Whitehead asked God to smite one of his parishioners while refusing to return his mother’s life savings, jurors heard in witness testimony at the "bling bishop's" Manhattan...

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