Today is Sunday, Oct. 6, the 280th day of 2024. There are 86 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Oct. 6, 1979, Pope John Paul II, on a weeklong U.S. tour, became the first pontiff to visit the White House, where he was received by President Jimmy Carter.

Also on this date:

In 1927, the era of talking pictures arrived with the opening of “The Jazz Singer” starring Al Jolson, a feature film containing both silent and sound-synchronized sequences.

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In 1973, war erupted in the Middle East as Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel during the Yom Kippur holiday, starting a nearly three-week conflict that would become known as the Yom Kippur War.

In 1976, President Gerald R. Ford, in his second presidential debate with Democrat Jimmy Carter, asserted that there was “no Soviet domination of eastern Europe.”

In 1981, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat was shot to death by members of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad while reviewing a military parade.

In 2007, British adventurer Jason Lewis completed the first human-powered circumnavigation of the globe, spanning 13 years and 46,000 miles (74,000 kilometers).

In 2010, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay tossed just the second postseason no-hitter in MLB history, blanking the Cincinnati Reds 4-0.

In 2014, the Supreme Court unexpectedly cleared the way for a dramatic expansion of gay marriage in the United States as it rejected appeals from five states seeking to preserve their bans, effectively making such marriages legal in 30 states.

In 2018, in the narrowest Senate confirmation of a Supreme Court justice in nearly a century and a half, Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed by a 50-48 vote; he was sworn in hours later.

Today’s Birthdays:

Actor Britt Ekland is 82.
Irish politician Gerry Adams is 76.
Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy is 69.
Bowler Walter Ray Williams Jr. is 65.
Actor Elisabeth Shue is 61.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., is 59.
Actor Emily Mortimer is 53.
Basketball Hall of Famer Rebecca Lobo is 51.
Actor Ioan Gruffudd (YOH’-ihn GRIH’-fihth) is 51.
Actor Jeremy Sisto is 50.
Football Hall of Famer Richard Seymour is 45.
NFL quarterback Trevor Lawrence is 25.
Social media personality Addison Rae is 24.
Basketball player Bronny James is 20.

A jury will not hear statements from a friend who said Madeline Kingsbury told her weeks before her death that if something bad happened to her, it would be caused by her ex-boyfriend, Adam Fravel, the judge in the case has ruled.

Fravel was Kingsbury’s boyfriend and the father of her two children. He is accused of killing the Winona woman. A change of venue was ordered in June, and Fravel’s jury trial is scheduled to begin Monday in Mankato.

Madeline Kingsbury. (Courtesy photo)

Fravel and his legal team objected to the introduction of relationship and hearsay evidence shared by friends and family members of Kingsbury during pretrial appearances at trial.

Winona County District Judge Nancy Buytendorp accepted some of the defense team’s arguments.

Buytendorp ruled that Kingsbury’s friend Lauren Dubois will not be allowed to testify about what Kingsbury told her in March 2023 at Mayo Clinic. Dubois told investigators that Kingsbury told her if something happened to her or her children, “It was Adam.”

“Although this statement by the alleged victim was voluntarily made, it lacks sufficient detail and context, which undermines its circumstantial guarantees of trustworthiness. Furthermore, these is a significant risk that the jury may interpret the statement as a definitive indication of the defendant’s actions,” Buytendorp wrote in court documents.

Dubois’ testimony about Kingsbury asking Dubois about how she left her own abusive relationship will also not be allowed.

Testimony from Kingsbury’s father’s wife, Catherine, about Kingsbury telling her that Kingsbury’s daughter had seen too much will also not be allowed during the trial. Testimony from witnesses about Fravel having access to Kingsbury’s phone also will not reach the jury.

Buytendorp ruled witness testimony regarding statements from Kingsbury related to abuse must be specific and detailed.

She decided testimony about an event where Fravel allegedly threatened that Kingsbury would end up like Gabby Petito is allowed, except from Kingsbury’s intimate partner, Spencer Sullivan.

Buytendorp determined that witnesses, who could number more than 180 from both the prosecution and defense, would be allowed to testify about some statements Kingsbury allegedly made related to her safety right before her disappearance, including about Fravel’s behavior that Kingsbury shared, but they will not be able to testify about her state of mind.

Other testimony from pre-trial hearings that will be allowed include statements about Fravel not helping with household responsibilities, Kingsbury’s plans to leave Fravel and her concerns about doing so, a friend offering Kingsbury and her children a place to stay but Kingsbury declining, a friend hearing Fravel make degrading comments directed at Kingsbury, and injuries to Kingsbury observed by her friends and Kingsbury’s explanations for them.

Adam Fravel. (Winona County Sheriff’s Office)

Both parties agreed testimony about Kingsbury’s friends seeing “assaultive behavior” when on FaceTime calls with Kingsbury would be allowed, according to the court documents Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Buytendorp also granted a motion to sequester witnesses during the entire trial, which is scheduled to start Monday and continue through Nov. 1 in Mankato.

According to a memo filed on Wednesday, the decision was made to ensure witnesses who are waiting to testify are not influenced by the testimony of others.

“Given the gravity of the charges and to protect the integrity of the trial process, it is utterly reasonable that witnesses be sequestered from the courtroom and from accessing any audio, visual or print coverage for the entirety of the trial including during opening statements and voir dire,” Buytendorp ruled.

Buytendorp also agreed to prohibit spectators in the courtroom and witnesses from wearing items that “reference the alleged victim, violence against women, ‘justice for Maddi’ or which might otherwise elicit an emotive response from jurors,” according to court documents filed Wednesday.

Buytendorp wrote in a memorandum about the decision: “Items such as slogans, arm bands, badges, stickers or similar materials in the courtroom that reference this case, the alleged victim or campaign against gender-based violence may be highly prejudicial to the defendant. Such items could compromise the jury’s impartiality and threaten the defendant’s right to a fair trial. Therefore, all such items and any spectator conduct that could disrupt courtroom decorum are strictly prohibited.”

Fravel faces charges of murder in the first degree while committing domestic abuse with a past pattern of domestic abuse, murder in the first degree premeditated, murder in the second degree and murder in the second degree without intent while committing a felony.

Fravel would face a mandatory sentence of life in prison if he is convicted of one of the first-degree murder charges. If he is convicted of one of the second-degree murder charges, he would face a maximum sentence of 40 years.

Fravel’s bail is set at $2 million with conditions and $3 million without conditions.

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Gophers fans have longed for years for head coach P.J. Fleck to be aggressive and play to win the game.

Well, he did in an a huge moment Saturday and it paid off as Minnesota upset 11th-ranked Trojans 24-17 on Saturday in front of an announced crowd of 50,913 at Huntington Bank Stadium.

Instead of kicking a go-ahead field goal with 56 seconds remaining, Fleck opted to run a quarterback sneak on fourth down from the 1/2-yard line. It was marked short of the goal line, but quarterback Max Brosmer crossed the plane upon review.

The U needed it as USC drove to Minnesota’s 28-yard line, but U true freshman safety Kio Perich intercepted Miller Moss to end the game.

The Gophers (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten) beat a Top 25 team for the first time since No. 24 Iowa last November.

Fans stormed the field and fireworks exploded.

Minnesota had first half problems against Michigan in a 27-24 loss last week and second-half woes in losses to Iowa and North Carolina at toward the beginning of the year.

Minnesota got the ball to start Saturday’s second half, but its offense was ushered off the field after four plays. Then USC marched 91 yards across 12 plays to take a 17-10 lead.

The Trojans looked like it would put the game away at the start of the fourth quarter, but Jah Joyner’s speed rush got to Miller Moss as he threw and the fluttering pass was intercepted by Devon Williams.

Minnesota answered with a 5-yard touchdown run from Max Brosmer to tie the game, 17-17, with seven minutes left.

The Gophers were the more aggressive team to start the game and took a 3-0 lead through the first quarter. Minnesota established the run with 59 yards on the ground, most coming on a nine-play, 49-yard drive.

The U’s success on the ground didn’t lead to head coach P.J. Fleck to decide to go for it on fourth and 2 from the Trojans’ 14, and Dragan Kesich gave the U an early lead 32-yard field goal.

The Trojans responded with its own running game, adding up 45 yards on a 15-play, 75-yard drive capped by Duce Robinson’s 3-yard catch in front of U safety Darius Green. USC took a 7-3 lead with seven minutes left in the half.

Minnesota came right back with another touchdown drive as Max Brosmer plunged in from 1-yard out.

Perich’s helmet forced Quinten Joyner to fumble and Ethan Robinson recovered it. But the U gave it right back with running back Darius Taylor being stripped five plays later.

Former Gophers kicker Michael Lantz then hit a 54-yarder to make it 10-10 at the half.