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Greenville investigators have closed their inquiry into the 36-year-old actress’s fatal overdose, although questions remain about a separate federal investigation.
The death of actress Hayden Panettiere has officially been ruled accidental, bringing the Greenville Police Department’s investigation to a close more than two months after she was found unresponsive at a South Carolina residence. The 36-year-old star of Heroes and Nashville died August 16 from the combined toxic effects of fentanyl, Xanax and other substances. Police announced Wednesday, October 28, that the medical examiner’s findings and their own investigation supported an accidental overdose.
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office previously identified fentanyl, the muscle relaxant methocarbamol and the antipsychotic medication quetiapine among the substances in Panettiere’s system. Emergency responders found her in cardiac arrest, and an autopsy identified no traumatic injuries contributing to her death. Panettiere had spoken publicly about her struggles with addiction and the difficulties of growing up in the entertainment industry.
Her former boyfriend Brian Hickerson, who previously admitted abusing her, and his brother Zack were reportedly present when emergency services arrived. Authorities have not announced criminal charges connected to her death. The Drug Enforcement Administration was also reported to be investigating the circumstances surrounding the overdose, although its current involvement remains unclear.
The local police decision concludes one part of the inquiry but leaves unanswered whether federal investigators are examining the source of the drugs. Panettiere began acting as a child and later became a familiar television and film star, appearing in Scream and earning acclaim for her performances in Nashville. She was 36 when she died.
Hot Take: Hayden Panettiere survived Hollywood, childhood fame and years of addiction struggles. Fentanyl killed her at 36. Greenville has closed its investigation, but nobody has explained where the drugs came from.
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A former federal prison official says the convicted sex traffickers’ wealth and notoriety could make them targets as they begin serving 30-year sentences.
Tal, Oren and Alon Alexander face the prospect of intimidation, extortion and social isolation in federal prison following their sentencing for sex trafficking and sexual assault. Former Metropolitan Detention Center associate warden Dr. DeWayne Hendrix warned that inmates convicted of sexual offenses frequently occupy the lowest positions in prison social hierarchies. Their former wealth and public profiles, he said, could create additional problems.
The brothers were each sentenced to 30 years Tuesday after a federal jury convicted them of offenses involving the drugging and sexual assault of women and minors. Judge Valerie Caproni described their conduct as monstrous and revealed that Tal and Alon had previously been assaulted while detained at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center. Hendrix warned that wealthy prisoners might attract demands for money or commissary goods, while paying for protection could encourage further extortion.
Caproni has also questioned whether the brothers should remain together during their sentences, expressing concern that their close relationship could interfere with rehabilitation. Defense attorneys argue that separation would harm their emotional well-being, while the judge has indicated she will communicate her concerns to the Bureau of Prisons. The brothers maintain their innocence and intend to appeal their convictions.
Hot Take: The Alexanders wanted luxury, status and special treatment. A former warden says prison offers none of those things, and their money might make matters worse. Thirty years is a long time without a VIP section.
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Federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein’s death forces the reassignment of the Venezuelan leader’s prosecution months before its scheduled trial.
U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who was overseeing the federal prosecution of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, died Wednesday, October 28, at the age of 92. The veteran Manhattan judge had remained on the bench despite visible signs of declining health during recent hearings. His death comes shortly after the couple appeared before him on a superseding indictment that included torture allegations.
During an October 8 hearing, Hellerstein acknowledged difficulty speaking while ruling against Flores’ request for release. He continued working and presided over the couple’s October 15 arraignment, where both pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. Their case has now been reassigned to U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres, with trial currently scheduled for next summer.
Appointed by President Bill Clinton, Hellerstein served nearly three decades on the federal bench and handled major litigation arising from the September 11 attacks. He also presided over high-profile fraud prosecutions and ruled against several Trump administration actions, including efforts to deport Venezuelan migrants without adequate due process. Maduro and Flores’ attorneys expressed condolences to his family following the announcement.
Hot Take: Hellerstein was 92, struggling to speak and still presiding over one of America’s biggest criminal cases. Now Maduro has a new judge and the same charges. Perhaps federal courts should consider retirement before the obituary.
A judge has ruled that Delaware lacks jurisdiction over the podcaster, although the French president’s lawsuit continues against her companies.
Candace Owens has secured a significant procedural victory in the defamation lawsuit brought by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron. Delaware Superior Court Judge Sheldon Rennie ruled Tuesday that Owens, a Tennessee resident, could not personally be sued in Delaware merely because her media businesses were registered there. The case continues against Candace Owens LLC and GeorgeTom Inc., although further legal arguments could determine whether it survives.
The Macrons filed their lawsuit in July 2025 over Owens’ repeated claims that Brigitte Macron was born male, along with allegations involving her family background and supposed intelligence connections. They maintain that the statements are false and defamatory. Rennie’s decision addressed jurisdiction rather than the accuracy of Owens’ claims, leaving the underlying allegations unresolved.
The judge also indicated that French law might govern the deadline for filing the lawsuit, potentially creating another obstacle for the Macrons. French defamation law generally imposes a much shorter filing period than Delaware law, and the court has requested further submissions before deciding which applies. Owens celebrated the ruling, while the Macrons’ attorneys said they would continue pursuing their claims against her companies.
Hot Take: The Macrons sued Candace Owens, and the judge has already shown her the personal exit. The companies are still in court. Given how young Emmanuel was when he met his future wife and teacher, there was perhaps a wiser line of attack.
Patrick Clancy’s attorney says Lindsay could testify that she feared harming her children, but her criminal defense lawyer flatly denies she ever made such statements.
A dispute has erupted between attorneys representing Patrick and Lindsay Clancy over whether the Massachusetts mother warned mental health professionals that she feared killing her three children before their deaths. During a Wednesday hearing in Norfolk County Superior Court, Patrick’s attorney Howard Cooper suggested Lindsay would eventually testify that she explicitly disclosed homicidal thoughts to her healthcare providers. Her criminal defense attorney Kevin Reddington immediately rejected that account.
Patrick and Lindsay have filed separate civil lawsuits alleging that mental health providers failed to respond appropriately to Lindsay’s deteriorating condition and improperly managed her medication before the January 2023 deaths of Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months. Attorneys for the healthcare providers argue that the complaints contain no allegation that Lindsay communicated an explicit intention or threat to harm her children. They are seeking dismissal under Massachusetts law.
Cooper told the court that he expected Lindsay to provide testimony once questions surrounding her Fifth Amendment rights were resolved. Reddington responded that his client had never reported homicidal ideation to her providers and had never agreed to testify in Patrick’s lawsuit. The judge reserved a decision on the dismissal motions, while Lindsay’s criminal case remains unresolved following September’s mistrial.
Hot Take: Patrick’s lawyer says Lindsay warned her doctors about homicidal thoughts. Reddington says she never did, and nobody authorized him to promise testimony. Three children are dead, and the lawyers can’t even agree on what their mother told the doctors.
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