By ANDREW DALTON, Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A man charged with fatally shooting an “American Idol” music supervisor and her husband in their Los Angeles home will undergo mental evaluation to determine whether he’s fit to stand trial, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Raymond Boodarian, 22, was set to be arraigned in a courthouse in Los Angeles but did not enter a plea. A judge suspended the criminal proceedings against him while a psychiatrist examines him to determine his competency.

He’s charged with two counts of murder in the killing of longtime “American Idol” producer Robin Kaye and her husband Thomas Deluca, both 70, who were shot when they came home unexpectedly during a burglary on July 10.

A judge at a court that specializes in mental health will consider the evaluation and decide whether Boodarian will proceed toward trial or be placed in a state hospital.

Boodarian stood behind a window in a custody area of the courtroom, and appeared to try to remain out of sight.

His attorney declined comment, and the district attorney’s office had no immediate comment.

Los Angeles County deputy public defender Nancy Kolocotronis stands in front of Raymond Boodarian, charged with the fatal shooting of “American Idol” executive Robin Kaye and her husband Thomas Deluca, in court on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Boodarian will undergo the same evaluation in the same small courthouse on Hollywood Boulevard where a man charged with stalking Jennifer Aniston and driving into the front gate of her home was recently found to be not competent to go to trial.

Police said they responded to a 911 call about a burglary at the home of Kaye and Deluca in the Encino neighborhood of Los Angeles. Police said they found no sign of forced entry or other trouble and left.

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Four days later the couple’s bodies were found, shot to death, when officers carried out a welfare check at the home. Boodarian was arrested the following day.

District Attorney Nathan Hochman later said in a community meeting that investigators believe the couple arrived home unexpectedly while Boodarian was burglarizing it. He shot them with their own gun and later called 911 himself, Hochman said.

Kaye had been with “American Idol” for more than 15 years and was working on the upcoming season of the hit singing competition TV series at the time of her death. She had also worked in the music departments of several other productions, including “The Singing Bee,” “Hollywood Game Night,” “Lip Sync Battle,” and several Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants.

By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is suing the operators of LA Fitness, over allegations that they make it “exceedingly difficult” for consumers to cancel gym memberships and other related services offered in their clubs nationwide.

In a Wednesday complaint, the FTC accused Fitness International and its subsidiary Fitness & Sports Clubs of illegally charging consumers “hundreds of millions of dollars in unwanted recurring fees” as a result of cumbersome cancellation processes. The agency said that tens of thousands of customers have reported difficulties with these policies to date.

“The FTC’s complaint describes a scenario that too many Americans have experienced — a gym membership that seems impossible to cancel,” Christopher Mufarrige, director of the agency’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a statement.

Beyond LA Fitness, California-based Fitness International operates brands like Esporta Fitness, City Sports Club, and Club Studio — spanning across more than 600 locations with over 3.7 million members nationwide. And the FTC pointed to two “unfair and unlawful” cancellation processes that it says these gyms have used for years: in-person cancellation or cancellation by mail.

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Both of these options require consumers to print out a form on the gym’s website, which includes logging in with credentials that the agency says some customers don’t have or remember. And if a customer opts for in-person cancellation, there’s limited hours and often difficulty finding a manager to process the forms, the complaint notes — while mailing the form comes with additional costs.

“Each of these cancellation methods is opaque, complicated, and demanding — far from simple,” the FTC writes in its complaint. It also alleges that the company doesn’t adequately disclose cancellation offerings when consumers sign up for memberships, and that some will be signed up for additional services with recurring charges without realizing there may be different cancellation requirements.

According to the FTC, Fitness International now offers website cancellations for subscriptions “with stand-alone agreements” — but the agency said the process “still imposes unnecessary burdens” on customers and claims that that option is buried online. It’s also still not possible to cancel memberships on the company’s mobile apps, the FTC added.

Fitness International did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ request for comment on Wednesday.

This isn’t the first time that federal regulators have accused gym operators — and other companies with subscription services — of making their cancellation processes too difficult for consumers.

Under the Biden administration, the FTC adopted a “click to cancel” rule, which would have made it easier for consumers to end unwanted subscriptions. But last month, days before that rule was poised to go into effect, a federal appeals court blocked the proposed changes.

In its litigation against Fitness International, the FTC says it’s seeking a court order prohibiting the allegedly unfair conduct and money back for consumers who were harmed by difficult cancellation processes.

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors in the nation’s capital will no longer bring felony charges against people for possessing rifles or shotguns in the District of Columbia, according to a new policy adopted by the leader of the nation’s largest U.S. attorney’s office.

That office will continue to pursue charges when someone is accused of using a shotgun or rifle in a violent crime or has a criminal record that makes it illegal to have a firearm. Local authorities in Washington can prosecute people for illegally possessing unregistered rifles and shotguns.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said in a statement that the change is based on guidance from the Justice Department and the Office of Solicitor General and conforms with two Supreme Court decisions on gun rights.

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Pirro, a former Fox News host, has been a vocal critic of local officials’ crime-fighting efforts since Republican President Donald Trump installed her in office in May. Her policy shift means federal prosecutors will not purse charges under the D.C. law that made it illegal to carry rifles or shotguns, except in limited cases involving permit holders.

The change also overlaps with Trump’s declaration of a crime emergency in the city, flooding the streets of Washington with patrols of hundreds of federal agents and National Guard members. The White House says 76 firearms have been seized since the crackdown started this month.

The new policy also coves large-capacity magazines, but it does not apply to handguns.

“We will continue to seize all illegal and unlicensed firearms, and to vigorously prosecute all crimes connected with them,” Pirro said, adding that she and Trump “are committed to prosecuting gun crime.”

Pirro said a blanket ban on possessing shotguns and rifles violates the Supreme Court’s ruling in 2022 that struck down a New York gun law and held that Americans have a right to carry firearms in public for self-defense. She also pointed to the high court’s 2008 decision in District of Columbia v. Heller striking down the city’s ban on handguns in the home.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lyle and Erik Menendez are scheduled to face separate parole hearings beginning Thursday in California and — depending on the outcomes — could eventually be released from prison nearly 30 years after being convicted of killing their parents.

A panel of parole officers will evaluate each of the brothers via videoconference. They’ll appear from prison in San Diego.

In 1995, a jury convicted both brothers of first-degree murder in the 1989 murders of Jose and Kitty Menendez inside their Los Angeles-area home. The brothers were sentenced to life in prison without parole in 1996.

They became eligible for parole after a Los Angeles judge in May reduced their sentences from life in prison without the possibility of parole to 50 years to life, making them immediately eligible for parole under California law because they were under the ages of 26 when they committed their crimes.

Who are the Menendez brothers and what did they do?

Lyle and Erik Menendez are the sons of Jose and Kitty Menendez. Jose Menendez, a Cuban-American business executive who at one time was an executive at RCA Records, moved his family from Princeton, New Jersey, to California when his sons were teenagers.

On Aug. 20, 1989, Lyle Menendez dialed 911 to report the shotgun-killings of their parents inside their home. Both brothers told investigators that the murders were related to the Mafia or had something to do with their father’s business dealings. At the time, Erik was 18 and Lyle was 21. With access to the family’s wealth, the brothers spent small fortunes on Rolex watches, cars and houses. But two months after the killings, Erik Menendez confessed to his psychologist that he and his brother killed their parents.

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What were the brothers charged with?

They were arrested early the following year and each charged with first-degree murder. The brothers claimed their father had emotionally and sexually abused them since childhood. Prosecutors contended that getting hold of their father’s money was the motive behind the couple’s killings.

The brothers’ first trial started in 1993. Their attorneys never disputed the pair killed their parents, but argued that they acted out of self-defense. Their trials resulted in hung juries. In 1995, a jury convicted both brothers of three counts, including first-degree murder, plus lying in-wait and special circumstance allegations. They were sentenced to life in prison without parole in 1996.

How did they spend their years in prison?

For years after their conviction, the brothers filed petitions for appeals of their cases while in prison. State and federal judges denied the petitions.

The brothers have gotten an education, participated in self-help classes and started various support groups for fellow prisoners.

They also launched a prison beautification project inspired by the Norwegian approach to incarceration that believes rehabilitation in humane prisons surrounded by nature leads to successful reintegration into society, even for those who have committed terrible crimes.

Over the years, the Menendez case continued to fascinate the public and the young, handsome brothers became celebrities of sorts. They became the subjects of true crime shows, including last year’s nine-episode crime drama “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” on Netflix.

A few weeks after that was aired, then-LA County District Attorney George Gascón announced he was reviewing new evidence in the case. On Oct. 24, 2024, prosecutors said they will petition the court to resentence the brothers. In May 2025, an LA County Superior Court judge granted them a new sentence of 50 years to life, making them immediately eligible for parole.

What will the parole board consider?

Erik and Lyle Menendez will be evaluated, individually, by a panel of two or three parole hearing officers. Erik’s hearing is scheduled Thursday morning. Lyle’s will be held Friday.

The board will assess whether the brothers pose an “unreasonable risk of danger to society” if released, considering factors like criminal history, motivation for the crime, signs of remorse, behavior while in prison and plans for the future, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Nearly all of the Menendez family support the brothers’ release from prison. Milton Andersen, the brothers’ uncle who opposed their release, died from cancer in March.

Could one receive parole and not the other?

The brothers have separate hearings and will be evaluated independently of each other. Los Angeles trial attorney David Ring has said if one brother was “a troublemaker” in prison and the other wasn’t, it’s conceivable that one could stay locked up while the other is freed. But Ring, who’s not involved with the Menendez case, said that’s unlikely.

How soon could they get out?

If granted parole, it could be months before the brothers are released from prison. The chief legal counsel has 120 days to review the case. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom then has 30 days to affirm or deny the parole. If he approves it, they could then leave prison. Newsom has not made any statements indicating his position on the case, but said during a May press conference that he has both approved and rejected decisions by the parole board before.

Where will they go if released?

That’s not clear. The brothers’ family members, who have spoken out in favor of their release, haven’t shared details about where the brothers might live.