WNBA star, Maya Moore marries man she helped free from wrongful conviction (photo)

 

WNBA star, Maya Moore has married Jonathan Irons, the Missouri man she helped work to free from prison after a 22-year-old wrongful conviction.

 

Irons was 16 when he was convicted for a 1997 home invasion and shooting and sentenced to 50 years in prison. He served more than two decades of prison sentence until he was released in July.

 

Appearing together on "Good Morning America," Moore, 31, revealed on Wednesday September 16, that she and Irons, 40, got married a couple of months ago. 

 

"We wanted to announce today that we are super excited to continue the work that we've been doing together, but doing it as a married couple," Moore said. 

 

The basketballer later took to Instagram to share a lovely photo from their wedding with the caption: "Grateful to announce this new chapter of life! What a miracle."

 

Irons, who is now a justice reform activist, said in the interview that he first proposed while he was still in prison, but didn't want to "trap her " from fulfilling her dreams. 

 

“I wanted to marry her but at the same time protect her because being in a relationship with a man in prison, it’s extremely difficult and painful,” he said. “And I didn’t want her to feel trapped and I wanted her to feel open and have the ability anytime if this is too much for you, go and find somebody. Live your life. Because this is hard.”

 

On the night, he asked Moore to be his wife, he said: “I got down on my knees and I looked up at her and she kind of knew what was going on,” Irons said. “I said, ‘Will you marry me.’ She said, ‘Yes.’ ”

 

 

According to CBS News, Moore met Irons when she was 18 before attending UConn and had to put her career on hold in 2019 to help Irons get out of prison. 

 

In March, a judge threw out his conviction, citing multiple issues with the case. An appeal against the decision by the Missouri attorney general's office was unsuccessful and the lead prosecutor in St. Charles County decided against a retrial.

 

Moore who is sitting out from playing basketball for the second straight season, has won two NCAA titles with Connecticut, four WNBA titles with the Minnesota Lynx, and two Olympic gold medals.

 

Neymar and four other players banned over PSG brawl as LFP investigates racism allegations

 

The LFP Disciplinary Committee in France has revealed punishment for the players involved in the mass brawl that overshadowed Paris Saint-Germain's clash with Marseille last weekend.

 

Neymar was one of five players sent off after a fight broke out between Argentine pair Dario Benedetto and Leandro Paredes and then extended to other players at the end of PSG's shock 1-0 defeat to Marseille last Sunday. 

 

On Wednesday, September, 16, the French football governing announced PSG full-back, Layvin Kurzawa, has been slapped with a six-game ban for his role after he kicked Jordan Amavi.

 

 

Amavi was slapped with a three-match ban with Marseille team-mate Dario Benedetto receiving a one-match ban.

 

Brazilian striker, Neymar, who was caught by VAR hitting Marseille defender Alvaro Gonzalez during the clash, received a two-match ban with a suspended sentence with Leandro Paredes handed the same punishment.

 

 

Neymar accused Gonzalez of racially abusing him during the clash. He claimed Alvaro called him a 'monkey son of a b****', but Gonzalez has since denied the claims. 

 

The LFP will investigate those allegations against the Spanish defender, and also look into claims filed by Marseille that PSG star Angel Di Maria spat at Gonzalez. 

 

Update: Judge rules in favor of Nicki Minaj in Tracy Chapman copyright dispute

 

A Judge has ruled in favor of Nicki Minaj in the copyright dispute between the rapper and four-time Grammy winner, Tracy Chapman. 

 

Back in 2018, Tracy Chapman sued Nicki Minaj for 'stealing her song' 'Baby Can I Hold You.' She alleged that the rapper used 'half of the lyrics and vocal melody' of the 1988 hit to make her track “Sorry.”

 

In her lawsuit, the American singer-songwriter sought damages and an order to prevent Nicki and her team from releasing “Sorry.” She also claimed that Nicki’s team made “multiple requests” to license “Baby Can I Hold You” and was denied. 

 

As at that time, Minaj denied committing copyright infringement, stating that her interpolation was protected by the doctrine of fair use.

 

 A judge has now handed Nicki victory in court on Wednesday Septenber 16, when she ruled that the rapper did not commit copyright infringement when she wrote and recorded her song, Variety reports.

 

Judge Virginia A. Phillips cited the doctrine of fair use in her ruling. “Artists usually experiment with works before seeking licenses from rights holders and rights holders typically ask to see a proposed work before approving a license,” Phillips wrote. “A ruling uprooting these common practices would limit creativity and stifle innovation within the music industry.”