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A former Davie Fire Rescue lieutenant who was accused of battering his wife hours before she was found dead in Coral Springs last year will not be charged with any crime stemming from that day.

Jeffrey Evans, 43, of Coral Springs, was arrested on a misdemeanor domestic battery charge after an argument with his wife became physical, according to a probable cause affidavit. Their fight on the morning of Aug. 25 about 11:30 a.m. was recorded on Ring surveillance video, which showed Evans punching Jessica Lloyd, 38, and grabbing her by her hair as he tried to take his laptop from her, according to a State Attorney’s Office memo dated Feb. 23.

Just before 9 p.m. that night in August, Evans called police and said his wife was having a “mental break” and needed help, the affidavit said. Minutes later, another person called to report hearing a woman scream, “My husband is trying to kill me!”

Evans told police when they arrived that Lloyd ran from their home, screaming that he was trying to kill her, and that he saw her fall on a sidewalk, according to an investigator’s report from the Medical Examiner’s Office. While Evans spoke to police, he and the officers “heard a splash in the canal” behind the home on Northwest 15th Court.

Lloyd was found facedown, partially submerged in 17 inches of water. She was pronounced dead at Broward Health Coral Springs.

Lloyd had multiple blunt force injuries and bruises to her head, neck, torso, arms and legs that were healed at different levels, including fractures in her ribs and left upper jaw, an autopsy report said. Toxicology tests showed positive for cocaine and some prescription antidepressant medications.

The associate medical examiner who performed Lloyd’s autopsy determined that she died as a result of drowning, and her manner of death was undetermined.

Prosecutors declined to file the misdemeanor battery charge stemming from the fight earlier that day because there was no reasonable likelihood of conviction.

“Because the victim is now deceased, the State has no evidence or witnesses to rebut this account by the defendant,” the State Attorney’s Office’s memo declining the charge said.

Prosecutors move forward with cases, even when victims cannot cooperate, when they have independent evidence to prove the charges, Assistant State Attorney Stefanie Newman, the prosecutor in charge of the Domestic Violence Unit, said in a statement shared with the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

The State Attorney’s Office was never formally presented a homicide case, Paula McMahon, spokesperson for the State Attorney’s Office, said in an email Friday.

“If the investigators at the police department believed they had probable cause to make an arrest or file a charge related to the death of Jessica Lloyd, they would have formally presented it to our office for review,” McMahon said. “No homicide case has been formally presented to our office at this time. There is no statute of limitations for any unresolved homicide. We remain ready, willing and able to formally review any evidence that detectives want to present now or in the future.”

Coral Springs Police in an email sent to the Sun Sentinel on Friday night said their investigation of Lloyd’s death is closed.

“The Coral Springs Police Department conducted a long and thorough investigation, as we do with all cases,” the statement said. “Detectives did meet with the State Attorney’s Office, but we did not recommend murder charges.”

Evans’ defense attorney did not respond to a request for comment Friday afternoon.

Evans was terminated from Davie Fire Rescue in March 2025, a letter of separation shows. He had been unable to perform his job since November 2023 due to prolonged medical issues.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A Bangladeshi man accused of using social media to trick teenage girls into sending him sexually explicit images — and then threatening to share them with their friends and family if they didn’t send more — has been transported to Alaska to face federal charges of child sexual exploitation.

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Zobaidul Amin, 28, pleaded not guilty during an initial court appearance in Anchorage on Thursday after the FBI took custody of him in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he had been studying medicine and facing related charges, U.S. prosecutors wrote in a detention memorandum.

“Amin delighted in sexually abusing hundreds of minor victims over social media,” the document said. “He bragged about causing victims to become suicidal and engage in self-harm. He shared hundreds of nude images and videos of minor victims all over the internet and encouraged other perpetrators to do the same.”

A federal grand jury indicted Amin in 2022 on charges including child pornography, cyberstalking and wire fraud. He adopted false identities, often posing as a teenager, to trick victims into sending him explicit images.

The investigation began when a 14-year-old Alaska girl reported her abuse to law enforcement, saying that after she had stopped communicating with him, he followed through on his threats by sending pornographic images of her to her friends and followers.

In executing dozens of search warrants and subpoenas, investigators eventually learned his identity and realized he had done similar things to hundreds of minor victims, prosecutors wrote. The only way to get him to stop demanding more images, Amin told the girls, was to recruit other victims, the document said.

“Because he was in Malaysia and his victims were primarily in the U.S., Amin viewed himself as untouchable by law enforcement,” prosecutors wrote. “In one conversation, he told a minor victim that the ‘cops won’t do anything,’ and the ‘cops won’t track me down because I live no where near u.’”

Efforts to extradite Amin to face charges failed, but with the assistance of the FBI, Malaysian authorities brought charges, the Justice Department said. He was released on bail during the proceedings, and eventually the U.S. succeeded in having him expelled from Malaysia. The FBI took him into custody and flew him to Alaska.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Kyle Reardon on Thursday ordered that Amin remain in custody while his case proceeds.

By MATT O’BRIEN

A top Pentagon official said Anthropic’s dispute with the government over the use of its artificial intelligence technology in fully autonomous weapons came after a debate over how AI could be used in President Donald Trump’s future Golden Dome missile defense program, which aims to put U.S. weapons in space.

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U.S. Defense Undersecretary Emil Michael, the Pentagon’s chief technology officer, said he came to view the AI company’s ethical restrictions on the use of its chatbot Claude as an irrational obstacle as the U.S. military pursues giving greater autonomy to swarms of armed drones, underwater vehicles and other machines to compete with rivals like China that could do the same.

“I need a reliable, steady partner that gives me something, that’ll work with me on autonomous, because someday it’ll be real and we’re starting to see earlier versions of that,” Michael said in a podcast aired Friday. “I need someone who’s not going to wig out in the middle.”

The comments came after the Pentagon formally designated S an Francisco-based Anthropic a supply chain risk, cutting off its defense work using a rule designed to prevent foreign adversaries from harming national security systems.

Anthropic has vowed to sue over the designation, which affects its business partnerships with other military contractors.

Trump has also ordered federal agencies to immediately stop using Claude, though the Republican president gave the Pentagon six months to phase out a product that’s deeply embedded in classified military systems, including those used in the Iran war.

Anthropic said it only sought to restrict its technology from being used for two high-level usages: mass surveillance of Americans or fully autonomous weapons.

Michael, a former Uber executive, revealed his side of months-long talks with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei in a lengthy conversation with Silicon Valley venture capitalists Jason Calacanis, David Friedberg and Chamath Palihapitiya, co-hosts of the “All-In” podcast.

A fourth co-host, former PayPal executive David Sacks, is now Trump’s AI czar and was not present for the episode but has been a vocal critic of Anthropic, including for its hiring of former Biden administration officials shortly after Trump returned to the White House last year.

As talks hit an impasse last week, Michael lashed out at Amodei on social media, saying he “has a God-complex” and “wants nothing more than to try to personally control” the military. In the podcast, however, he positioned the dispute as part of a broader military shift toward using AI.

Michael said the military is developing procedures for enabling different levels of autonomy in warfare depending on the risk posed.

“This is part of the debate I had with Anthropic, which is we need AI for things like Golden Dome,” Michael said, sharing a hypothetical scenario of the U.S. having only 90 seconds to respond to a Chinese hypersonic missile.

A human anti-missile operator “may not be able to discriminate with their own eyes what they’re going after,” but an autonomous counterattack would be a low risk “because it’s in space and you’re just trying to hit something that’s trying to get you.”

In another scenario, he said, “who could oppose if you have a military base, you have a bunch of soldiers sleeping, that you have a laser that can take down drones autonomously?”

In response to the podcast comments, Anthropic pointed to an earlier Amodei statement saying “Anthropic understands that the Department of War, not private companies, makes military decisions. We have never raised objections to particular military operations nor attempted to limit use of our technology in an ad hoc manner.”

Michael, the defense undersecretary for research and engineering, was sworn in last May and said he took over the military’s “AI portfolio” in August. That’s when he said he began scrutinizing Anthropic’s contracts — some of which dated from President Joe Biden’s Democratic administration. Michael said he questioned Anthropic over terms of use that he deemed too restrictive.

“I need to have the terms of service be rational relative to our mission set,” he said. “So we started these negotiations. It took three months and I had to sort of give them scenarios, like this Chinese hypersonic missile example. They’re like, ‘OK, we’ll give you an exception for that.’ Well, how about this drone swarm? ‘We’ll give an exception for that.’ And I was like, exceptions doesn’t work. I can’t predict for the next 20 years what (are) all the things we might use AI for.”

That’s when the Pentagon began insisting Anthropic and other AI companies allow for “all lawful use” of their technology, Michael said.

Anthropic resisted that change, while its competitors — Google, OpenAI and Elon Musk’s xAI — agreed to them, though some still have to get their infrastructure prepared for classified military work, Michael said. The other sticking point for Anthropic was not allowing any mass surveillance of Americans.

“They didn’t want us to bulk-collect public information on people using their AI system,” Michael said, describing the negotiations as “interminable.”

Anthropic has disputed parts of Michael’s version of the talks and emphasized that the protections it sought were narrow and not based on any existing uses of Claude. The next stage of the dispute will likely happen in court.

General Daily Insight for March 07, 2026

Connection can’t blossom in a vacuum — we must reach out to each other. While the luminous Sun conjoins chatty Mercury early, conversations could reveal truths we missed. Slow down and listen for nuance. At 6:27 am EST, Venus conjoins dreamy Neptune, blending tenderness with imagination as we reimagine what feels worthy and adjust promises to match. When we speak from our hearts, pressure eases. We’d also be wise to leave plenty of space for quiet reflection. Let softness guide choices that matter.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

The steel of courage is being tempered by love into something even stronger. Loving Venus conjoins spiritual Neptune in your sign, blending warmth with imagination so you can present yourself with heart and creativity. You may update your profile or pitch an idea, while your tone helps others feel safe and open to your plan. That said, be wary of making lofty promises — name only what you can realistically do right now. That way, sincerity and follow-through can carry your message.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Quiet time can restore your grace, in terms of both physical agility and emotional graciousness. Your 12th House of Peace stirs as the Love Goddess Venus conjoins nebulous Neptune, inviting the kind of deep rest that’s necessary for true forgiveness. You’d benefit from meditating, napping, or journaling. The “when” doesn’t matter as much as the “where” — look for somewhere serene. Let your thoughts drift through you, trusting insight to arrive in its own time. As stress recedes, you could literally feel your muscles relax.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

This morning supports smart moves and polished poise. Career conversations ask for calm leadership as the vibrant Sun embraces clever Mercury in your 10th House of Respect, invigorating you with ambitious potential. You might guide a meeting with a supervisor, while your curious mind keeps details tidy without losing the bigger picture. If someone challenges your plan, acknowledge their point, then restate the goal and the next step. Progress is easier when everyone feels included. Aim for results you can deliver with skill.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

What public role feels most true now? Sensual Venus conjoins imaginative Neptune near your 10th House of Prestige. This blend of visionary potential and Venusian kindness can guide you to take charge in almost any circumstances. You could share credit with a co-worker, while your updated bio highlights how you lead with care in plain language. If a public request tugs at private feelings, pause to check your boundaries, then accept only what supports family rhythms and true priorities. Your results should speak for themselves!

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Your intuition reads the room with ease. Your 8th House of Shared Resources is under the spotlight of today’s Mercury-Sun conjunction, prompting talks around mutual investments or joint productions. Secrecy has potentially slowed progress, so honesty will probably be necessary. You might renegotiate a shared subscription or clarify who pays which bill — look for real answers, not just somewhere to place blame. If someone resists, invite them to investigate the truth alongside you. Ask plainly, then honor any agreements you make.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

Being honest doesn’t mean being unkind. That’s vital to remember as your bonds are empowered by the Sun-Mercury embrace in your partnership-oriented 7th house. You’re allowed to set ground rules for all connections — even friendships. For instance, if someone isn’t a fan of your newest style idea, you can tell them you don’t want to hear complaints about what you do with your own body. The catch? This also applies to comments you might want to make about their aesthetic decisions! Just be respectful.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

You know the social rules, and today, you may need to explain them to others. Right now, charming Venus aligns with fanciful Neptune in your 7th House of Links, blending empathy with imagination so you can name your needs without ignoring anyone else. However your connections look, a small promise about time or attention can reset trust after a recent misunderstanding. If feelings blur facts, do your best to find a time when everyone involved can share what would help. Empathy is bolstered by structure.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

What story do you want to tell? Your 5th House of Discovery brightens as mischievous Mercury conjoins the life-giving Sun. Look back at your most recent project — it might express aspects of your personal philosophies that you didn’t realize you were saying while creating it. Feedback from friends could also offer helpful insights. In the end, these may or may not be ideas you want to continue emphasizing. Either way, you can move forward with a more informed perspective on your own work.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Creative sparks land in real, joyful ways. Compassionate Venus and conceptual Neptune combine to bless your 5th House of Amusement with extra inspiration. An off-the-cuff idea could be your next favorite project! Spending time with friends is also a great way to spend today, especially if you team up for an artistic project (or get together to work side-by-side on your own endeavours). Don’t get caught up in making it “good” — just enjoy yourselves! Play sincerely, and let joy lead your craft.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Morning conversations deserve patience — even if you’re still half-asleep. Messenger Mercury conjoins the almighty Sun in your 3rd House of Chatter, encouraging steady pacing as you gather facts and decide what needs to be shared and when. You may run a team huddle at work, or discuss local construction with neighbors at home. If a delay appears, treat it like a checkpoint to avoid frustration. That’s your time to refine your messages and double-check the vital details. Diligence keeps everything moving without strain.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

When kindness meets imagination, conversations blossom. Everyday exchanges feel softer as romantic Venus kisses elusive Neptune in your 3rd House of Contact, which nudges you to speak from the heart. Just don’t get overwhelmed by any powerful emotions! It would be wise to reread any drafted messages before clicking send. In-person conversations shouldn’t be rushed, either. If someone misreads your tone, slow down, then summarize your intention and ask what they heard, so both sides feel safe. Empathy ought to be your guiding star.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Pisces, your presence shapes the room differently. Your identity is the center of the Sun and Mercury’s caring trine, allowing you to sparkle with all their cosmic power. You may introduce yourself to a neighbor or ask loved ones for aid on a project that supports your well-being. If you feel sensitive, slow the tempo, then choose a single priority and give it your attention. This generosity towards yourself could inspire others to give themselves the same courtesy. Happiness shared is happiness doubled!

By JENNIFER PELTZ

NEW YORK (AP) — A Pakistani business owner who tried to hire hit men to kill a U.S. politician was convicted Friday in a trial that showcased allegations of Iran-backed plotting on American soil.

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As the Iran war unfolded in the Mideast, Asif Merchant acknowledged in a U.S. court that he sought to put an assassination in motion during the 2024 presidential campaign — a plot that was quickly disrupted by American investigators before it had a chance to proceed.

A jury in Brooklyn convicted Merchant on terrorism and murder for hire charges.

The verdict after only a couple hours of deliberations followed a weeklong trial that included remarkable testimony from Merchant himself.

Merchant told the jury he was carrying out instructions from a contact in the Islamic Republic’s powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. According to Merchant, the handler never specified a target but broached names including then-candidate Donald Trump, then-President Joe Biden and Nikki Haley, the former U.N. ambassador who was also in the race for a time.

The Iranian government has denied trying to kill U.S. officials.

The nascent plot fell apart after Merchant showed an acquaintance what he had in mind by using objects on a napkin to depict a shooting at a rally. He asked the man to help him hire assassins. Instead, he was introduced to undercover FBI agents who were secretly recording him, as had the acquaintance.

Merchant told the supposed hit men he needed services that could include killing “some political person” and paid them $5,000 in cash in a parked car in Manhattan.

“This man landed on American soil hoping to kill President Trump — instead, he was met with the might of American law enforcement,” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement released after the conviction.

FILE – This image provided by the Justice Department, contained in the complaint supporting the arrest warrant, shows Asif Merchant. (Justice Department via AP, File)

Merchant’s attorney, Avraham Moskowitz, didn’t immediately reply to a message seeking comment.

Merchant, 47, worked for Pakistani banks for decades before going into clothing and other businesses. He has two families, in Pakistan and Iran, and he sometimes visited the U.S. for his garment business.

Merchant testified that he met a Revolutionary Guard intelligence operative about three years ago. The contact gave him countersurveillance training and assignments including the assassination scheme, Merchant said.

He maintained that he had to do his handler’s bidding to protect loved ones in Iran. The defendant said he reluctantly went through the motions but thought he’d be arrested and explain his situation to authorities before anyone was killed.

“I was going along with it,” he said, speaking in Urdu through a court interpreter.

Prosecutors emphasized that Merchant admitted taking steps to enact the plan on behalf of the Revolutionary Guard, which the U.S. considers a foreign terrorist organization, and he didn’t proactively go to authorities.

Instead, he was packing for a flight to Pakistan when he was arrested on July 12, 2024, a day before an unrelated attempt on Trump’s life in Butler, Pennsylvania. Officials said it appeared the Butler gunman acted alone but that they had been tracking a threat on Trump’s life from Iran, a claim that the Islamic Republic called “unsubstantiated and malicious.”

When Merchant subsequently spoke to FBI agents to explore the possibility of a cooperation agreement, he didn’t say he had acted out of fear for his family.

Prosecutors argued that he didn’t back up a defense of acting under duress. Merchant sought to persuade jurors he simply didn’t think the agents would believe him because they seemed to “think that I am some type of super-spy,” which he said he was “absolutely not.”

By JEFF AMY

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Republicans are pushing for more restrictions on local prosecutors, saying their investigation into Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis proves the moves are needed.

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Willis in August 2023 obtained an indictment against Trump and 18 others, accusing them of participating in a wide-ranging scheme to illegally try to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. That case was dismissed in November after courts barred Willis and her office from pursuing it because of an “appearance of impropriety” stemming from a romantic relationship she had with a prosecutor she had hired to lead the case.

Several of the state senators who backed a measure that passed the chamber on Friday are running for statewide office, with primaries set for May 19. The fate of legislation concerning local prosecutors is unclear in the House, which is less rawly partisan than the Senate, although still under GOP control.

The measure that passed the Senate adds more reasons that local prosecutors can be disciplined or removed by a commission created in 2024 to provide oversight to elected district attorneys in Georgia, as well as elected solicitors general who prosecute lower-level crimes in some counties.

The measure lets the commission discipline prosecutors for violating bar rules, for failing to notify crime victims of prosecutor actions, failing to comply with public records requests, or showing “undue bias or prejudice” against the person being prosecuted.

“There was quite a bit of evidence presented to us, and testimony about conduct of prosecutors and really the lack of public faith in the independence and the impartiality of the prosecuting attorneys in the state,” said state Sen. Bill Cowsert, an Athens Republican running for attorney general.

Cowsert denied the measure was targeted at Willis, but Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who has been endorsed by Trump in his run for governor, saw it differently.

“But Fani Willis’ lawfare of President Trump and his allies has highlighted why oversight by the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission is vital,” Jones said in a statement. “This bill gives the PAQC the ability to go after DAs who refuse to be transparent, who engage in unprofessional attorney conduct, and who don’t take seriously their duties to victims of crimes.”

Of 140 complaints filed with the commission in 2025, only three related complaints about the same solicitor general in a rural county, were not dismissed. Washington County Solicitor General Michael Howard resigned in July while under investigation, agreeing to never run for a prosecutor post again.

Earlier in the session, senators passed a bill to enhance the commission’s investigatory power. But it’s a relatively meager outcome for the investigation, including an appearance by Willis herself in Decemnber when she engaged in a combative back-and-forth with Republican Sen. Greg Dolezal, who is running for lieutenant governor.

A second measure Friday was defeated that would have made district attorneys and some other county officials be elected on a nonpartisan basis in five Democratic-dominated metro Atlanta counties. That would have included Willis, a Democrat. Sen. Ed Setzler, a Republican from Acworth, argued that nonpartisan officials would be more effective and efficient. But the measure failed after eight Republicans voted against it.

A third measure originally would have allowed Georgia’s attorney general to intervene in serious criminal cases without the district attorney’s consent, but Democrats supported the measure after Cowsert watered it down to allow district attorneys to request assistance.

The state Senate, created the Special Committee on Investigations in January 2024 to examine allegations of misconduct against Willis, an elected Democrat, with regard to her prosecution of Trump.

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO

NEW YORK (AP) — The parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus is closing more department stores as it focuses on its most profitable businesses and trims debt during its Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring.

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Saks Global Inc. said Friday it will close 12 more Saks Fifth Avenue stores and three more Neiman Marcus stores. The shuttered Saks stores include sites in Chevy, Chase, Maryland, Chicago and San Antonio, Texas. The stores will remain open until the end of May, a company spokesperson said.

The closures come on top of the eight Saks Fifth Avenue stores and one Neiman Marcus store it said it would close last month. The stores targeted for the first round of closing are expected to remain open until the end of April.

With plans to close a total of 24 department stores by spring, that would leave the parent company with 13 Saks Fifth Avenue stores — including its flagship store on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue — as well as 32 Neiman Marcus locations and Bergdorf Goodman in New York City.

Saks also said 500 brands have resumed shipping, releasing close to $1.3 billion in retail receipts. That accounts for more than 80% of the inventory the company expects to receive from February through April, with momentum expected to continue, the company said.

The parent company is also in talks or has reached repayment agreements with about 175 suppliers.

Saks Global has been shrinking its business since it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January. Last month, it said it will wind down 14 standalone Fifth Avenue Club personal styling suites, keeping three.

It also shuttered home goods retailer Horchow.com, a business that Neiman Marcus acquired in the late 1980s. As of Feb. 19, shoppers have been redirected to the home category on NeimanMarcus.com.

It’s also closing down all but 12 of its Saks Off Fifth locations The remaining outlets will serve primarily as a selling channel for residual inventory from Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.

By MATTHEW PERRONE

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration’s embattled vaccine chief, Dr. Vinay Prasad, is once again leaving the agency — the second time in less than a year that he’s departed after controversial decisions involving the review of vaccinations and specialty drugs for rare diseases.

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FDA Commissioner Marty Makary announced the news to FDA staff in an email late Friday, saying Prasad would depart at the end of April. Makary said Prasad would return to his academic job at the University of California, San Francisco.

Prasad’s latest ouster follows a string of high-profile controversies involving the FDA’s review of vaccines, gene therapies and biotech drugs in which companies have criticized the agency for reversing itself, in some cases calling for new trials of products previously greenlighted by regulators.

In July, Prasad was briefly forced from his job after running afoul of biotech executives, patient groups and conservative allies of President Donald Trump. He was reinstated less than two weeks later with the backing of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Makary.

FILE – In this undated photo provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Vinay Prasad smiles for a portrait. (U.S. FDA via AP)

A longtime academic and critic of the FDA’s standards for drug reviews, Prasad has taken a seemingly contradictory approach to regulation since arriving at the FDA last May. On repeated occasions, Prasad has joined Makary in announcing steps to make FDA drug reviews faster and easier for companies. But he also has imposed new warnings and study requirements for some biotech drugs and vaccines, particularly COVID shots that have long been a target for Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine activist before joining the Trump administration.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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