JONATHAN TURLEY

A Massachusetts woman, Caroline Bilodeau-Allen, and her son, Christopher Allen, are suing the National Enquirer for defamation after the tabloid reported in 2006 that Christopher is really the son of Mass. Sen. Ted Kennedy. The Enquirer is standing by its sources in what could be a new test of the so-called New York Times v. Sullivan standard.  Continue reading ‘National Enquirer Sued for Defamation Over Kennedy “Love-Child” Story’

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy has formally determined that Karl Rove, John Bolten, former White House political director Sara Taylor and her deputy, J. Scott Jennings, are in violation of the Senate subpoenas and must comply “immediately” or face legal consequences. Continue reading ‘Leahy Starts Formal Process that Could Lead to a Contempt Citation for Karl Rove and Others’

Over thirty years ago, I walked on to the floor of the House Representatives on my first day as a congressional page – fidgeting in a new blue suit and trying desperately to hide the fact that I was terrified. I was immediately pushed into a scrum of members and pages running about in a close vote. Nobody really noticed the teenager being shoved around like flotsam and jetsam until I felt a huge hand grab me by the arm and pull me into a member’s seat. I looked up at a tall man in an outrageously bright canary yellow suit and a smile to match. It was Henry Hyde. Continue reading ‘The Death (and Life) of Henry Hyde’

Only hours after a Washington State judge ruled that Dennis Lindberg could refuse a life-saving blood transfusion as violative of his Jehovah’s Witness faith, he passed away at age 14.   Continue reading ‘Washington Teen Dies After Court Blocks Parents Demand for Blood Transfusion Based on His Religious Beliefs’

British teacher Gillian Gibbons, 54, has been found guilty of insulting Islam by a Sudanese “court” after she allowed her young students to name a teddy bear “Mohammad.” Continue reading ‘Sudan Finds Teacher Guilty in Mohammad Teddy Bear Case’

The New York police are using a very controversial decoy operation to arrest people who steal personal items from s Continue reading ‘New York Police Placing Decoy Items to Arrest Thieves — and Possible Good Samaritans’

The Bush Administration is seeking to train firefighters to serve as eyes and ears in the war on terror: a role that raises significant civil liberties questions. Under this plan, firefighters would look for evidence of possible terrorism in the homes and businesses that they inspect or enter. Continue reading ‘Homeland Security to Use Firefighters to Spot Potential Terror Suspects’

In another entry into the abuse of tasers, this video shows police using a taser to the neck of a pregnant mother after throwing her on her stomach to the ground. Continue reading ‘Shock Video: Police Taser Pregnant Mother’

Geoffrey Fieger is fighting for his law license in classic Fieger fashion:  he is suing everyone from prosecutors to judges.  In the meantime, judges are expressing surprising levels of public contempt for Fieger — and each other. Continue reading ‘Michigan Judges and Geoffrey Fieger Attack Each Other’

Dennis Lindberg is a 14-year-old Jehovah’s Witness who has leukemia. His parents (who do not have legal custody and are not Jehovah’s Witnesses) have demanded that he be given a needed blood transfusion. However, Judge John Meyer ruled that the boy can refuse the treatment, even though it will inevitably lead to his death. Continue reading ‘14-Year-Old Allowed to Refuse Life-Saving Treatment Over Objections from His Parents’

Ex-Oral Roberts University President Richard Roberts told students that God told him to resign even though he didn’t want to.   Continue reading ‘Oral Roberts University President: God Told Me to Resign’

The Sudan government is proceeding with charges against British teacher Gillian Gibbons, 54, who is accused of offending Islam by allowing her young children to name a teddy bear “Mohammad.” ‘ Continue reading ‘Teacher Charged in Sudan in the Mohammad Teddy Bear Case’

Niagara Falls City Court Judge Robert Restaino has been taken off the bench after a perfectly bizarre incident involving a cellphone and a short judicial temper. Restaino was upset that someone violated the no cellphone rule and ordered that all 46 people in the courtroom be searched and jailed. Continue reading ‘New York Judge Removed from Bench After Jailing Entire Courtroom Over Cellphone Interruption’

An Oklahoma businessman has pledged $70 million to Oral Roberts University — a move that could prevent the closing of the financially strapped school in the midst of the latest scandal.   Continue reading ‘Oral Roberts University to Receive $70 Million Gift’

Mitt Romney is facing a withering attack for his alleged statement that he would not appoint a Muslim to his cabinet.  Continue reading ‘Romney Under Fire for Allegedly Dismissing Notion of Any Muslim Cabinet Member’

Many observers have long believed that there was a federal cover-up in the alleged suicide of Kenneth Trentadue in a federal prison. His brother has long argued that federal officials, not suicide, were behind the death in August 1995. Now, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled against the federal government’s effort to withhold a critical report on the case.   Continue reading ‘Federal Appellate Court Rules Against Government in Trentadue Case’

Given the recent ruling in the case, this prior column on the scandal and saga of Kenneth Trentadue may be of interest. Continue reading ‘The Kenneth Trentadue Scandal’

As the election approaches, it is becoming apparent that no one actually supported going to war in Iraq. In separate statements this week, Bill Clinton and Karl Rove revised history and their roles in supporting the Iraq War. Continue reading ‘Clinton and Rove Revise History on War: It Turns Out That No One Actually Supported the Iraq War’

In the ultimate demonstration of extremism, a school in Sudan has been forced to close in fear that extremists could take violent actions against students or teachers in the aftermath  of  the controversy over the naming of a class bear “Mohammed.”  Lillian Gibbons, a 54-year-old teacher at the Unity High School in Khartoum, was arrested for insulting Islam when she allowed her children to pick the name. Continue reading ‘School Closed in Sudan to Avoid Violence by Extremists After Mohammed Teddy Bear Incident’

A district court has ordered a military contractor to pay $5 million in damages to the family of Army Lt. Col. Dominic “Rocky” Baragona for his death in Iraq. It is a case that could open the door to more lawsuits against contractors in Iraq. Continue reading ‘Contractor Ordered to Pay $5 million to Family of Soldier Killed in Iraq’

A case is brewing in California that could revisit controversies over constitutional taking of private property and the common law concerning public easements. Douglas Rigg, a 43-year-old architect, is challenging the property owners of a development called Seadrift near Stinson beach that bans the public from use of their beach. Continue reading ‘California Development Sued for Denying Public Use of Beach: A New Coastal Takings Case?’

An extraordinary torts case is now before the Illinois Supreme Court where a women is continuing a fight to hold the parents of a former lover liable for their failure to tell her that their son had AIDS. A jury found the parents, Elizabeth and Kirkpatrick Dilling liable for $2 million. Continue reading ‘Illinois: Women Sues Parents of HIV-Positive Fiance for Failing to Disclose Son’s Condition’

A British Appellate court has ruled that a mother should be allowed to prevent a father from learning of the birth of their child and to secretly put the baby up for adoption. Continue reading ‘British Court: Mother May Conceal Fact of Birth from Father and Put Child Up for Adoption’

In a chilling account, the Saudi woman who was first gang raped and then sentenced to 200 lashes (for being with a male non-family member) has given a full account of her ordeal. The woman’s story is an insight into the plight of woman in a country where they are restricted in their travel and subject to the harshest possible punishments. Continue reading ‘Saudi Rape Victim Gives Her Chilling Account’

Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., entered an Alford plea to criminal trespass — avoiding a trial on assault and battery charges over allegations he pushed a United Airlines baggage employee at Dulles International Airport. Continue reading ‘Rep. Filner Enters Plea in Criminal Trespass Case’

Thomas Nelson, an Oregon attorney representing two lawyers has filed a public complaint against individuals responsible for the interception of attorney-client communications as part of the NSA domestic surveillance program.   Continue reading ‘Attorney Files Ethics Complaint Detailing Illegal NSA Surveillance Discovered in the Al-Haramain Case’

Luciano Pavarotti’s death appears to have left a perfectly operatic scene of an irate widow and accusations of false friends bent on her destruction. Pavarotti’s widow, Nicoletta Mantovanis, is suing two friends of the singer for defamation based on their claims about the state of her marriage with the star. Continue reading ‘Widow of Luciano Pavarotti Sues Friends: Seeking $44 Million for Defamation’

In what must count somewhere toward credit, law students have sued American Justice School of Law in Paducah, Ky, for $120 million in a class action lawsuit. Continue reading ‘Law Students Sue Law School for Racketeering and Fraud’

In a shocking case for the academic community, former University of Penn. Economics professor Rafael Robb has entered a guilty plea in the murder of his wife, Ellen, shortly before Christmas. Continue reading ‘Former Penn. Econ. Professor Rafael Robb Pleads Guilty to Killing Wife’

The Supreme Court has refused to give a death row inmate, Thomas Arthur, access to critical DNA evidence that he is seeking to prove his innocence. Continue reading ‘Supreme Court Refuses to Order Access to DNA Evidence Sought to Clear Death Row Inmate’

The highly controversial contract that could bring as much as $52 million to John Ashcroft’s new consulting firm seems to follow a trend in the Bush Administration of steering money to loyalists.  A glimpse at the principles of the firm show that all but one of the leaders are former Ashcroft aides or major Republican operatives or both. Continue reading ‘Ashcroft Firm that Received $52 Million Contract is Filled With Republican Insiders and Former Aides’

The Senate has rejected a retroactive immunity deal for telecommunications companies.  However, lobbyists remain hard at work on some form of immunity and revisiting the issue of retroactive immunity. Continue reading ‘Bravo: Senate Rejects Retroactive Immunity Deal for Telecoms’

Officials have arrested a teacher in Sudan who allowed her class to name a Teddy bear “Mohammed.”  Gillian Gibbons is accused of offending Islam.   Continue reading ‘Sudan Arrests Teacher for Naming Class Teddy Bear “Mohammed” - Faces 40 Lashes’

Three people have been killed thus far in Wisconsin’s deer season — after only nine days.   Continue reading ‘Buck Fever: Three Killed in First Nine Days of Deer Season in Wisconsin’

Senators Ted Kennedy and Arlen Spector are drafting legislation to finally address the widespread abuse of the military and state secrets privilege, a law that would require courts to seriously review the basis and scope of these assertions. As lead counsel in the Area 51 cases involving the privilege, it is welcomed and long over-due news.  Continue reading ‘Kennedy and Spector To Offer State Secrets Legislation’

Federal trial judge Samuel Kent is facing possible criminal charges and impeachment after accusations of sexual harassment and assault. The judiciary itself is under criticism for its handling of the allegations stemming from the United District Court in Galveston and court employee Cathy McBroom. Continue reading ‘Federal Judge Accused of Sexual Assault: Could Face Criminal Charges or Impeachment’

Venezuela continues its horrible spin toward dictatorship this week as President Hugo Chavez told citizens that anyone voting against his constitutional changes (giving him potential power for life) would be “traitors.” Continue reading ‘Hugo Chavez Proclaims Anyone Voting Against Giving Him Near Absolute Power is a “Traitor”’

The Bush meat case in New York is moving toward trial with new arguments, including the use of the monkey meat as religious expression and the argument that the amount was too small to have a significant impact on conservation: a type of one monkey limit for chefs.  Continue reading ‘“Bush Meat” Case Moves Toward Trial Amid Claims of One Monkey Exception’

The Saudi Justice Department has defended the grotesque sentence of a woman to 200 lashes after she was gang raped because, it recently revealed, she was in an “illegitimate relationship” with the man who was also assaulted. Continue reading ‘Saudi Justice: Flogging Rape Victim Justified Because She Had an Affair’

Giuliani appears intent on re-playing the Willie Horton card used by Bush Sr. against that other Mass. Governor Michael Dukakis — this time the villain is Daniel Tavares, Jr. and the judge is Kathe Tuttman. Continue reading ‘Romney’s Willie Horton Moment? Giuliani Pays the Judicial Activist Card’

A fascinating case is developing in Kansas where a gay man, Daryl Hendrix, is fighting for his right to recognition as a father to twins conceived artificially with a lesbian friend. Continue reading ‘Gay Man Fights for Right to Be Father of Twins Conceived with Lesbian Friend’

It appears that the number of wounded soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan is much higher than reported by the U.S. military. The official toll is 30,327. Continue reading ‘Military Failed to Disclose 20,000 Wounded’

Richard Roberts has resigned as president of Oral Roberts University and the Board of Regents officially began a search for a new president. It is the school’s survival not its leadership that is now in question. Continue reading ‘Oral Roberts President Resigns: Is an Indictment Next?’

Today, Reuters is reporting that militants beheaded a couple in front of their children because the man wore Western clothes and was perceived as an infidel. Continue reading ‘Iraqi Couple Beheaded in Front of Children for Non-Islamic Habits’

In a vintage moment for the Bush Administration, controversial U.S. Attorney Rachel Paulose was promoted to a position in Washington in the wake of widespread allegations of abuse and incompetence.  The move is expected to assist GOP Sen. Norm Coleman who was behind the nomination of Paulose despite her lack of experience.   Continue reading ‘Controversial U.S. Attorney Rachel Paulose Removed From Minnesota Post — Promoted in the Wake of Alleged Incompetence and Abuses’

A federal judge spared an embarrassing appearance on the witness stand for Sen. David Vitter in a prostitution case when she abruptly canceled a hearing scheduled for next week. Continue reading ‘Sen. Vitter Spared from Being Called as Witness in D.C. Madam Case’

John Ashcroft’s former aide has stated that he just doesn’t see what all the fuss is about after the U.S. Attorney gave Ashcroft’s firm a grotesque $52 Million contract to monitor a settlement.  Continue reading ‘Former Ashcroft Aide: “Just Doesn’t See the Issue” in His Giving Ashcroft’s Firm a $52 Million Contract’

In what is called the ultimate sacrifice for the planet, environmentalist Toni Vernelli announced this week that she not only terminated a pregnancy but had herself sterilized to save the planet from more people.   Continue reading ‘What Ever Happened to a Small Monthly Donation? Environmentalist Sterilizes Self to Save Planet’

As U.S. Parks face cut back and no significant expansion of forested areas, Canada has set aside  25.5 million acres of land in the north for use as two new conservation areas — the equivalent to 11 Yellowstone National Parks. Continue reading ‘Canada Adds “11 Yellowstones” to its Park System as Over-Taxed U.S. Parks Face Cuts’

Despite the right of media access to commission proceedings under the Military Commissions Act, the Administration has barred press from the current trials in Cuba. Continue reading ‘The Bush Administration Shuts Out the Public From Seeing “Justice” Being Done in Cuba’

What is most striking about the current disaster presented by the Jefferson ruling is that it was entirely unnecessary. For my prior testimony on the Jefferson raid, click here  

In the expanding wreck called the Jefferson prosecution, the Justice Department is still reeling from its loss before the D.C. Circuit over its 2005 raid on the congressional office of Rep. William Jefferson. Continue reading ‘Justice May Appeal Jefferson Ruling to Supreme Court: Ruling Could Undermine Other Corruption Cases’

Abdelhaleem Ashqar, 49, a former associate professor of business at Washington’s , was sentenced this week to more than 11 years in a very controversial sentencing after he refused to testify in a grand jury. It is a case that follows a new and disturbing trend by the Bush Administration in using grand juries against individuals who they fail to convict in criminal cases. Continue reading ‘Ashqar Gets 11 Years for Criminal Contempt and Obstruction: Is Dr. Sami Al-Arian Next?’

In yet another taser abuse video, a Utah officer is shown telling a man to turn around and then tasering him in the back after the driver refused to sign a ticket — while the man’s pregnant wife screams from inside the car. Continue reading ‘Shocking Video of Man Being Tasered in Back for Refusing to Sign Ticket in Utah’

In what should be viewed as an open outrage, U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie has announced that his office had awarded a windfall contract of $52 million to the firm of his former boss, John Ashcroft.  The contract is highly unusual on a number of points — and should be the subject of a congressional investigation.   Continue reading ‘John Ashcroft’s Firm Given $52 Million Contract for 18 Months of Work — By His Former Subordinate’

When Megan Meier logged on to MySpace a little over a year ago, she was seeking a new start with new friends. She’d had some hard times: She considered herself overweight, had been bullied in school and had low self-esteem. Continue reading ‘How To Punish A Cyber Bully’

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has handed down an important ruling on student speech, ruling that a student’s writings containing violent images were not protected and akin to screaming “fire” in a crowded theater. Continue reading ‘Fifth Circuit Rules Against Student in Violent Speech Case’

Former White House spokesman Scott McClellan has accused President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, and Karl Rove of knowingly misleading him on the leaking of the name of Valerie Plame. Continue reading ‘Former White House Spokesman Accuses President Bush, Vice President Cheney, and Karl Rove of Passing Along False Information on Plame Affair’

The Saudi government is attempting to dampen the international outrage over a sentence of 200 lashes and six months in prison for a rape victim.   The U.S. government issues a statement that expressed barely concern. Continue reading ‘U.S. Merely “Astonished” by the Planned Flogging of a Rape Victim in Saudi Arabia’

Judge Leonie M. Brinkema has issued an order after today’s interesting hearing. Continue reading ‘Order Issued in Case of Dr. Ali Al-Timimi — Counsel To Gain Access to Sealed Material’

The U.S. military is helping build a case against journalist, Bilal Hussein, an award-winning photographer in Iraq. Continue reading ‘Military to Turn Over AP Journalist for Iraqi Trial’

In what is likely to be one of the most important rulings of this term, the Supreme Court has taken up the D.C. hand-gun case. Continue reading ‘Supreme Court Takes the Parker Case and Will Interpret the Meaning of the Second Amendment’