From CNN, I'm Fez Jamil with the five things you need to know for Tuesday, July 2nd. President Joe Biden came out sharply against the Supreme Court's ruling that presidents have an absolute immunity from prosecution for core official acts. There are no kings in America. Each, each of us is equal before the law.
No one, no one is above the law, not even the president of the United States. But Biden's comments last night were less about him and more about former president Donald Trump. The Supreme Court ruled along ideological lines that Trump can claim immunity from criminal prosecution for some of the actions he took as president before leaving office. But as CNN's Caitlin Palance tells us, the justices didn't give Trump everything he wanted.
What's not protected is things that are in what the court is a twilight zone or the unofficial actions of someone serving the office, someone as a campaigner or someone doing things outside of the presidency. What that means for Trump is that there is a possible path for the Justice Department still to take him to trial. That likely means more hearings, written arguments, and even proceedings in some of the cases Trump is facing that could add significant delays. And only hours after the ruling, a source says that Trump's legal team cited the decision and moved to overturn his conviction in the New York Hush Money case.
This is, this is, this is madness. I have never seen the same way before. After hitting Barbados, Hurricane Beryl is continuing to strengthen as its path points towards Jamaica. The dangerous Category 5 hurricane now has 165 miles per hour winds that's expected to bring life-threatening winds and storm surges to the island.
The Prime Minister of St. Vinson and the Grenadines says at least one person has died there. Union Island has been devastated. The reports that I have received indicate that 90% of their houses have been severely damaged or destroyed.
Parts of the islands, including hospitals, have no electricity and others are without water. Beryl is the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record and only the second Atlantic storm of such strength to be reported in July. Ukrainian officials say they've foiled the plot to overthrow the government. The country's security services say the perpetrators plan to remove Ukraine's military and political leadership from power, seize the parliament building, and organize a riot in the center of Kiev under the guise of a, quote, peaceful protest.
Authorities say the alleged coup was exposed in advance and that its organizers were detained. Two of the four suspects are being held in custody. Panama says it's reached a deal with the U.S. to close the Darien Gap to what it calls, quote, illegal migrants.
In a statement, the country says the deal will see the U.S. government covering the cost of repatriating people who enter illegally through the region. The Darien Gap is a mountainous rainforest region connecting South and Central America. It has seen an increase in people willing to risk their lives and safety to cross it.
News of the agreement comes after Panama's new president vowed yesterday that the Central American nation would no longer be a country of transit for migrants. Coming up, the judge in the Karen Reed murder case has declared a mistrial. A mistrial has been declared in the murder trial of Karen Reed after the jury said for a second time that it could not reach a unanimous verdict. The Massachusetts woman is accused of drunkenly driving into her boyfriend, who was a police officer, and leaving him to die in January 2022.
The 45-year-old pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death. Following the mistrial, the DA says he intends to retry the case with a new jury. Under state law, Reed could face life in prison if convicted. That's all for now.
I'll be back with our next episode, which drops at 9 a.m. Eastern.