The application of Sharia law in countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran has supplied this blog with a steady stream of cases involving stonings and censorship. Now, Israel’s Justice Minister Yaacov Neeman wants the country to adopt its own religious book, the Torah, as the basis for the country’s laws.
Continue reading ‘Justice Minister Calls For Israel to Adopt Torah Law As The Governing Rules for the Nation’
Archive for December, 2009
Justice Minister Calls For Israel to Adopt Torah Law As The Governing Rules for the Nation
Published 1, December 15, 2009 Bizarre , Constitutional Law , Courts , Criminal law , International , Lawyering , Media , Politics , Religion , Society 9 CommentsSuffer Not The Children: Faith-Healing Parents Charged in Death of Teenager
Published 1, December 15, 2009 Bizarre , Constitutional Law , Criminal law , Politics , Religion , Society 2 Comments
Oregon is preparing to try yet another child death case related to the Followers of Christ in Oregon City, a group of faith healers with a long record of dead children. The group was part of the focus of a recent column on the prosecution of parents for faith-based neglect. Jeff and Marci Beagley are mentioned in the column and are now challenging the criminal neglect statute as vague and raising free exercise of religion claims to block their prosecution for the death of Neil Beagley, 15.
Continue reading ‘Suffer Not The Children: Faith-Healing Parents Charged in Death of Teenager’
You’ve Got Mail . . . A Lot of Mail: 22 Million Missing E-Mails From Bush Administration Found
Published 1, December 14, 2009 Bizarre , Congress , Constitutional Law , Courts , Criminal law , Lawyering , Politics , Society 33 Comments
The Bush Administration repeatedly denied that there were missing emails and later insisted that any emails that were missing could not be found. Now, 22 million missing White House e-mails have been found, according to two public interest groups who reached a settlement over the records. I discussed the issue on this segment of MSNBC Countdown.
Continue reading ‘You’ve Got Mail . . . A Lot of Mail: 22 Million Missing E-Mails From Bush Administration Found’
Leading Scientist on Global Warming Has Heart Attack During Debate While Delegates Storm Out Over Impasse Over the Agreement
Published 1, December 14, 2009 Bizarre , Environment , International , Politics , Society 34 CommentsThis video is simply incredible. During a television debate on global warming, Henrik Svensmark was hit by a heart attack.
High-Ranking ATF Officer Arrested in Bizarre Hotel Damage Case
Published 1, December 14, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , Society 11 Comments
Russell Vanderwerf, 44, has presented the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) with a bit of dilemma. He is charged with disabling the fire alarm system and damaging property at a Residence Inn in Metairie, Louisiana. However, the case could lead to litigation over what is an employee’s personal affairs and what is a basis for personal action.
Continue reading ‘High-Ranking ATF Officer Arrested in Bizarre Hotel Damage Case’
Study: Airline Passengers May Be Exposed to Harmful Levels of Radiation From Storms
Published 1, December 14, 2009 Academics , Bizarre , Society , Torts 12 Comments
There is an interesting science story out this week that could raise legal issues as to risk of radiation for airline passengers. A new study at the Florida Institute of Technology, University of California, Santa Cruz and the University of Florida found that passengers could be exposed to a radiation dose equal to that from 400 chest X-rays if their airplane is near the start of a lightning discharge or related phenomena known as a terrestrial gamma ray flash.
Continue reading ‘Study: Airline Passengers May Be Exposed to Harmful Levels of Radiation From Storms’
Anti-Corruption Advocate and Lawyer Dies in Jail — Kremlin Fired Prison Head and Others
Published 1, December 14, 2009 Criminal law , International , Lawyering , Politics , Society 13 Comments
Sergei Magnitsky, 37, was a courageous lawyer who fought the corruption in Russia and went public with his accusations. The result was first his arrest on tax evasion charges and then his death in a Moscow prison. Now, President Dmitry Medvedev has fired the prison head and 19 other officials. However, there will apparently be no investigation into his original arrest or its connection to his allegations against government officials.
Continue reading ‘Anti-Corruption Advocate and Lawyer Dies in Jail — Kremlin Fired Prison Head and Others’
An Ear For Crime: Ohio Appellate Court Rules that Officer Cannot Issue Speeding Tickets Based on Sound Alone
Published 1, December 14, 2009 Bizarre , Courts , Criminal law , Society 11 Comments
Ohio officer Ken Roth doesn’t need no stinking radar guns, he has speed-calibrated hearing. Well, he did until the Ohio Court of Appeals ruled that a motorist cannot be convicted based solely on what Roth said he “heard” as speeding.
Continue reading ‘An Ear For Crime: Ohio Appellate Court Rules that Officer Cannot Issue Speeding Tickets Based on Sound Alone’
Skin Flynt: Jury Rules In Favor of Hustler Owner in Dispute With Nephews
Published 1, December 14, 2009 Bizarre , Media , Society , Torts 19 Comments
Larry Flynt has won a jury verdict in a four-day trial over his nephew’s violation of his trademark and invasion of his privacy. Flynt prevailed on the trademark case. One of the more interesting aspects of the trial was Flynt’s admission that (while his company is worth many millions of dollars) he fired his brother and his nephews’ father, Jimmy Flynt Sr.,to help pay for the costs of suing his sons.
Continue reading ‘Skin Flynt: Jury Rules In Favor of Hustler Owner in Dispute With Nephews’
Starbucks Psychosis: Washington Man Claims Caffeine Induced Hysterin
Published 1, December 14, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , Society , Torts 9 Comments
Daniel Noble, 31, has a novel defense after he was caught by Washington State University Police after speeding down a country road and hitting two people while wearing only pajamas and flip flops (in 5 degree weather) — he was over-caffeinated.
Continue reading ‘Starbucks Psychosis: Washington Man Claims Caffeine Induced Hysterin’
Flog the Blog: A Call to Arms for the Greatest Blogging Generation
Published 1, December 13, 2009 Academics , Bizarre , Congress , Constitutional Law , Courts , Criminal law , Environment , International , Justice , Lawyering , Media , Military , Politics , Religion , Society , Supreme Court , Torts 114 Comments
By last count, we were roughly 25 votes out of first place in the ABA competition. Twenty-five votes stand between us and ever-lasting glory. Who among us can now claim that we have done enough when we are mocked from across the Internet?
Continue reading ‘Flog the Blog: A Call to Arms for the Greatest Blogging Generation’
Some relationships are too profound to describe in words alone.
Continue reading ‘DEEP REM WITH REX’
Ninety-Eight-Year-Old Woman Kills 100-Year-Old Roommate in Massachusetts
Published 1, December 13, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , Society , Torts 18 Comments
Despite my work with older prisoners at the Project for Older Prisoners (POPS), you sometimes find people that buck the trend and commit crimes late in life. Police say that Laura Lundquist is one such “later bloomer.” She is 98 years old and accused of killing her 100-year-old roommate Elizabeth Barrow (shown here) in Massachusetts at the Brandon Woods Nursing Home.
Continue reading ‘Ninety-Eight-Year-Old Woman Kills 100-Year-Old Roommate in Massachusetts’
Railing Against the Bosses: London Train Announcer Suggests Suicide as Option for Travelers
Published 1, December 13, 2009 Bizarre , International , Society 5 Comments
While Thomas the Tank Engine may be a capitalist stooge (here), one train employee has become a proletarian hero. A London Underground or tube announcer had some unconventional advice for riders recently: if they are frustrated with the service they might want to consider suicide as an option.
Continue reading ‘Railing Against the Bosses: London Train Announcer Suggests Suicide as Option for Travelers’
Thomas the Capitalist Stooge: Professor Finds Dark Messages in Children’s Series
Published 1, December 13, 2009 Bizarre , International , Media , Politics , Society 35 Comments
Professor Shauna Wilton and colleagues at the Department of Social Sciences Research at the University of Alberta have made a disturbing discovery: Thomas the Tank Engine appears to be a vehicle used to implant a “conservative political ideology” in our children. This is the liberal version of the campaign against Purple Teletubby Tinky Winky by Jerry Falwell as sending hidden gay messages. The professor, however, may find proletarian values in another railway, the London underground: here.
Continue reading ‘Thomas the Capitalist Stooge: Professor Finds Dark Messages in Children’s Series’
The Scourge of Intellect: English Schools Hold Back Talented Students To Fight “Elitism”
Published 1, December 13, 2009 Academics , Bizarre , International , Society 135 Comments
A recent study found that as much as three-fourths of the state schools were holding back the most talented and brightest students because they wanted to combat the scourge of “elitism.” These students were not being given more advanced work even though they were not being sufficiently challenged by grade-level material.
Shadow Army: ABC Discloses Use of Blackwater Contractors as Possible Mercenaries
Published 1, December 12, 2009 Constitutional Law , Criminal law , Media , Military , Society 157 Comments
Brian Ross at ABC has aired the results of his investigation into the use of alleged mercenaries by the United States. I was interviewed on the story, though I was obviously not at liberty to discuss it before it aired yesterday. Ross found evidence that private contractors were being used in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq for combat missions — a role that raises very disturbing legal and policy questions.
Continue reading ‘Shadow Army: ABC Discloses Use of Blackwater Contractors as Possible Mercenaries’
High School Drug Counselor Arrested For Drug Dealing
Published 1, December 12, 2009 Academics , Bizarre , Criminal law , Society 3 Comments
Federal prosecutors allege that high school drug counselor was a bit too close to his subject. They have charged the intervention specialist with conspiracy to distribute and distribution of oxycodone.
Continue reading ‘High School Drug Counselor Arrested For Drug Dealing’
Baucus: “I Went Out Of My Way To Be Up And Up” On His Romantic Relations With Staff Member
Published 1, December 12, 2009 Bizarre , Media , Politics , Society 13 Comments
It is a good thing that Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) represents Montana and not Minnesota, here. New details have emerged in the ethics scandal surrounding the Senator. Baucus allegedly gave his girlfriend Melodee Hanes a nearly $14,000 pay raise in 2008 when he started his romantic relationship and later took her on a taxpayer funded trip to Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
Continue reading ‘Baucus: “I Went Out Of My Way To Be Up And Up” On His Romantic Relations With Staff Member’
American Taliban: Family Group Calls for Laws To Be Strengthened That Criminalize Sex Outside of Marriage
Published 1, December 12, 2009 Bizarre , Constitutional Law , Criminal law , Politics , Religion , Society 45 Comments
There is an interesting fight in Minnesota where State Senator Ellen Anderson made the modest suggestion that the state repeal laws making it illegal for a married woman to cheat on her husband and another statute that makes it a crime for single women to have sex at all. The response of the powerful Minnesota Family Council is to call for the law not to be repealed but strengthened to make it a crime for men to have sex outside of marriage.
With All Due Respect . . . Kiss My Shillelagh
Published 1, December 12, 2009 Bizarre , Congress , Politics , Society 9 CommentsIrish Green Party member Paul Gogarty cut to the chase in the Irish Parliament in this video when confronted by by Labor Party members. Gogarty responds with “With all due respect and in the most unparliamentary language, f— you Deputy Stagg, f— you.” I felt the addition of “with all due respect” made all the difference.
Continue reading ‘With All Due Respect . . . Kiss My Shillelagh’
Wisconsin Man Hits Pole, Gets Arrested for DWI for Fifth Time, and Urinates on Officer’s Head But Will Serve Less Than a Year and Will Drive Again in Three Years
Published 1, December 11, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , Society 12 Comments
If this happy looking man appears relieved, it is because he is. Daniel L. Shilts Jr., 36, of Waldo, Wisconsin was arrested after his fifth DWI and then urinated on the back of the head of the officer taking him to jail. Officers spotted him driving erratically and striking a pole. Then things went from bad to much much worse . . .
Bachelor Comes With 500 Channels! Chinese Doctors Remove Clicker That Was a Bit Too Remote
Published 1, December 11, 2009 Bizarre , Society , Torts 17 Comments
Chinese doctors at the Hunan Hangtian Hospital in Changsha were unsure what was the cause of the pain that a student was describing after a drunken party until he rolled over and the television in the hospital room changed channels . . .
Continue reading ‘Bachelor Comes With 500 Channels! Chinese Doctors Remove Clicker That Was a Bit Too Remote’
Uganda Law Would Execute Gays and Imprison Their Families
Published 1, December 11, 2009 Bizarre , Constitutional Law , International , Politics , Religion , Society 30 Comments
Uganda is considering a new law that would impose the death penalty for some gays and sentence family members to up to seven years in jail if they fail to report gay relatives to authorities. The law would even jail landlords for accepting gays as tenants.
Continue reading ‘Uganda Law Would Execute Gays and Imprison Their Families’
Indianapolis Hits Motorists with Large Fines For Contesting Tickets
Published 1, December 11, 2009 Bizarre , Courts , Society 21 Comments
There is an interesting story out of Indianapolis, Indiana where attorney Paul K. Ogden has sued the city over the imposition of fines against any citizen who dares to challenge a traffic ticket. Ogden says that the city is charging as much as $2500 if citizens do not just fork over the dough with a ticket.
Continue reading ‘Indianapolis Hits Motorists with Large Fines For Contesting Tickets’
Concealed Weapon: Prisoner Turns in Shank and Demands Surgery
Published 1, December 11, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , Society 23 Comments
It is rare for an inmate to volunteer to turn over a shank, but Rance Johnson, 19, was ready to come clean with the Merced County jail in California.
Continue reading ‘Concealed Weapon: Prisoner Turns in Shank and Demands Surgery’
Holy Cow: Connecticut Cow Is Latest Divine Sign To The Faithful
Published 1, December 11, 2009 Bizarre , Religion , Society 16 CommentsA Connecticut dairy family is heralding the arrival of a cow with a white cross on its head. A Texas farming couple is showing an egg with a cross on it. Both are being cited as signs from God during this holiday season. Together they make for either a powerful message of the Almighty or a divine steak omelette.
Continue reading ‘Holy Cow: Connecticut Cow Is Latest Divine Sign To The Faithful’
The Witch of the North: Toronto Charges Woman With Witchcraft Crime
Published 1, December 11, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , International , Society 8 Comments
We have seen a number of witchcraft prosecutions in the Middle East (here), but the most recent such case is coming out of Toronto where Vishwantee Persaud, 36, is accused of engaging in witchcraft under a little used law. She may, however, have a rather novel defense.
Continue reading ‘The Witch of the North: Toronto Charges Woman With Witchcraft Crime’
Waiting for God: Man Dies After Sitting in Chair for Eight Months Waiting to Be Healed By God
Published 1, December 10, 2009 Bizarre , Constitutional Law , Criminal law , Religion , Society 39 Comments
The one thing that you can say is that Tillmon Webb, 33, had unshakable faith. The over 500-pound man sat down in his recliner in March after an injury and waited for God — never getting up for eight months until he died.
Woman Passes Out After Drinking Binge and Sues Hospital after Legs Are Amputated
Published 1, December 10, 2009 Bizarre , Society , Torts 24 Comments
This is an interesting and tragic case of contributory or comparative negligence. Shanna Hiles was celebrating her 20th birthday and got so drunk that she passed out with her legs tucked under her for 12 hours –cutting off blood to her extremities. Both of her legs had to be amputated and she blamed the hospital that made her wait of six hours to be treated as her condition worsened.
Continue reading ‘Woman Passes Out After Drinking Binge and Sues Hospital after Legs Are Amputated’
New York City Erases Bike Lanes to Appease Hasidic Men Who Object to Seeing Women in Bike Shorts
Published 1, December 10, 2009 Bizarre , Constitutional Law , Politics , Religion , Society 315 Comments
There is an interesting controversy in Brooklyn after the city yielded to the Hasidic community in sandblasting off bike lanes on roads. Hasidic leaders complained that they are having trouble obeying their religious law forbidding them from staring at members of the opposite sex with women biking around in shorts. Bicycle advocates have been trying to repaint the lanes.
Continue reading ‘New York City Erases Bike Lanes to Appease Hasidic Men Who Object to Seeing Women in Bike Shorts’
Wirth-Less: Man Accused of Double Murder Tasered in Courtroom Brawl
Published 1, December 10, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , Society 27 Comments
I suppose the large tattoo on the neck of Andrew J. Wirth, 24, reading “NOTHING TO LOSE” might have given the court deputies a clue that they were in for trouble at the appearance of the Wisconsin man in court. Wirth is accused of first shooting a couple to death outside a bar after a woman playfully grabbed him. He then tore up a courtroom while yelling at the judge.
Continue reading ‘Wirth-Less: Man Accused of Double Murder Tasered in Courtroom Brawl’
Jaw Breaker: Chemistry Blows Jaw Off After Chewing Explosive Material
Published 1, December 10, 2009 Bizarre , International , Society , Torts 7 Comments
At first this seemed like the ultimate product liability claim, but it now appears a chemistry student in Ukraine may have blown his jaw off by chewing an explosive material. The 25-year-old student was found by his family, which heard a loud pop in his room and later found an unidentified explosive material next to his gum on this desk.
Continue reading ‘Jaw Breaker: Chemistry Blows Jaw Off After Chewing Explosive Material’
Nuremberg Revisited: Obama Administration Files To Dismiss Case Against John Yoo
Published 1, December 9, 2009 Bizarre , Congress , Constitutional Law , Courts , Criminal law , International , Justice , Lawyering , Politics , Society 179 Comments
John Yoo is being defended in court this month by the Administration. Not the Bush Administration. The Obama Administration. As with the lawsuits over electronic surveillance and torture, the Obama administration wants the lawsuit against Yoo dismissed and is defending the right of Justice Department officials to help establish a torture program — an established war crime. I will be discussing the issue on this segment of MSNBC Countdown.
Continue reading ‘Nuremberg Revisited: Obama Administration Files To Dismiss Case Against John Yoo’
Canadian Police Department Builds New Firing Range That Helps Train Officers How To Shoot Fleeing Suspects
Published 1, December 9, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , International , Politics , Society 12 Comments
It is billed by the London Police Department Chief as “the best (shooting) range in Ontario.” At $22 million, it is certainly modern but one of the features might sit poorly with judges and civil libertarians.
Continue reading ‘Canadian Police Department Builds New Firing Range That Helps Train Officers How To Shoot Fleeing Suspects’
Police Union Chief Calls For Federal Criminal Investigation in World Bank Protest Case
Published 1, December 9, 2009 Constitutional Law , Courts , Criminal law , Media , Politics , Society 5 Comments
D.C. Police Union Chief Kristopher Baumann joined the call from city council members for a criminal investigation into the destruction of evidence in the World bank/IMF protest case where hundreds of people were arrested without probable cause and many hogtied by police. The New York Times has also run an article on the recent report by former Judge Stan Sporkin finding that the evidence was presumptively destroyed on purpose.
Continue reading ‘Police Union Chief Calls For Federal Criminal Investigation in World Bank Protest Case’
Oh Canada: Disgraced Pathologist’s Report Led to Woman Losing Son in 1996 Wrongful Conviction
Published 1, December 9, 2009 Bizarre , Constitutional Law , Courts , Criminal law , International , Lawyering , Politics , Society 12 Comments
The costs of prosecutorial abuse or invalid convictions are rarely explored in depth by the media (here). Canada has one case that everyone should read. As with some recent scandals involving incompetent forensic prosecution experts in the United States, Canada is dealing with the legacy of disgraced forensic pathologist Charles Smith, who sent people to jail with flawed science and false conclusions. However, few are so unsettling as what happened to Sherry Sherret-Robinson, 34.
One Hundred and Twenty Percent of People Can’t Be Wrong: Fox News Shows People Are Dubious About the Accuracy of Global Warming Science With a Poll of 120 Percent of People
Published 1, December 9, 2009 Academics , Bizarre , Environment , Media , Politics , Society 1,527 Comments
We previously saw a Fox News pie chart that had a couple extra slices (here). Now, fair and balanced math adds up to 120 percent of voters indicating that they view the science on global warming to be rigged.
Continue reading ‘One Hundred and Twenty Percent of People Can’t Be Wrong: Fox News Shows People Are Dubious About the Accuracy of Global Warming Science With a Poll of 120 Percent of People’
Video: Pop Star Lip Syncs While Holding Mike Upside Down
Published 1, December 9, 2009 Bizarre , International , Society 5 Comments
This should make Ashlee Simpson feel a bit better for the Saturday Night Live lip sync scandal. This Romanian pop singer was not only lip syncing but it was hard to miss since he was holding the mike upside down.
Continue reading ‘Video: Pop Star Lip Syncs While Holding Mike Upside Down’
Beef, It’s What’s for Battery: Florida Woman Allegedly Attacks Boyfriend with Steak in Fight Over Bread
Published 1, December 9, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , Society 7 Comments
Food appears to be the weapon of choice in Florida this week. A couple days ago, we saw a man who was arrested for assaulting his girlfriend with a hamburger (here). Now, Elsie Egan, 53, in Dunnellon, Florida was arrested for allegedly hitting her boyfriend Peter Schabhuttl, 49, several times in the head with a raw steak.
Continue reading ‘Beef, It’s What’s for Battery: Florida Woman Allegedly Attacks Boyfriend with Steak in Fight Over Bread’
The Doubtfire Defense: Woman Stopped With Man’s Ski Pass Claims Sex Change Operation
Published 1, December 9, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , Society 11 Comments
Now here is a defense that you would not have seen just a couple decades ago. Sarah Fowke, 23, was stopped attempting to use someone else’s ski pass at a Colorado ski resort. Ski officials noticed that the pass was for a man named Nicholas Hemstreet and Fowke explained that she was originally a man but had completed a series of sex change operations.
The Naughty List: Christians Organize Blacklist of Businesses Failing To Wish Customers “Merry Christmas”
Published 1, December 8, 2009 Bizarre , Politics , Religion , Society 72 Comments
Christians are now organizing a boycott against businesses that fail to wish everyone “Merry Christmas” or use that offensive greeting “Happy Holidays.” Stores are being monitored and blacklisted for just wishing everyone “Happy Holidays” instead of referencing Christmas specifically.
Pray to Play: North Carolina Voters Seek to Seek To Block Swearing in of New Bar Council Member Under State Constitutional Ban of Atheists in Public Office
Published 1, December 8, 2009 Bizarre , Politics , Religion , Society 56 Comments
Some people in Asheville, North Carolina are up in arms about a man just elected to the city council. No he is not corrupt or an adulterer. Those are virtually qualifications in today’s politics. The problem is not what Cecil Bothwell is but what he is not: God-fearing. Opponents are opposing his election on the basis of a provision of the North Carolina Constitution that bars atheists from public office. One is the former head of the NAACP. It is clearly unconstitutional and would make for a wonderful (and educational) challenge for North Carolina.
The Wrath of Mr. Potato Head: Sidarth Comes in Second on Jeopardy
Published 1, December 8, 2009 Academics , Society 11 Comments
We previously discussed the appearance of one of my students, S.R. Sidarth, on Jeopardy. Last night, Sidarth came in a very respectable second in a tough competition. We were all extremely proud of him . . . and blame it on Mr. Potato Head.
Continue reading ‘The Wrath of Mr. Potato Head: Sidarth Comes in Second on Jeopardy’
Spare the Rod? Former Missouri House Speaker Accused of Beating and Raping Woman . . . Releases on $2,500 Bond
Published 1, December 8, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , Politics , Society , Torts 25 Comments
The former Missouri House Speaker and major Republican political figure Rod Jetton has been charged in an alarming series of crimes after a woman accused him of punching, choking, and assaulting her. She also appears to elude to the possibility of a date rape drug, claiming that she blacked out after drinking a glass of wine. Jetton ran for office on a family values platform.
Body Heat: English City To Draw Heat From Crematoriums
Published 1, December 8, 2009 Bizarre , Environment , Society 23 Comments
The Hastings Borough Council in East Sussex has found the ultimately reusable energy source: people. It is the energy version of Soylent Green. The city will be drawing heat from the burning of bodies from crematoriums.
Continue reading ‘Body Heat: English City To Draw Heat From Crematoriums’
Slim Down With Bacillus Cereus: Diet Product Recall Issued for 10 Million Cans of Slim Fast
Published 1, December 8, 2009 Bizarre , Society , Torts 15 Comments
It is amazing how slimming runaway diarrhea can be. Unilever PLC recalling 10 million cans of its Slim-Fast ready-to-drink products in the U.S. and Canada due to the possible contamination of a bacteria that can cause serious illness.
The Boss’s Burger: Florida Man Arrested For Burger Battery
Published 1, December 8, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , Society , Torts 12 Comments
Port St. Lucie, Florida has another AWDS case (assault with a deadly sandwich). Previously, we saw how Matthew Rubin was arrested for throwing a sandwich at his girlfriend, here. Yet, cold-cut sandwiches are widely known by police to be gateway food to hotter items like pizzas and burritos. Now, Daniel Boss, 25, has been arrested for rubbing a hamburger in the face of his wife. The incident appropriately occurred at one of Daniel’s favorite restaurants, Dick’s.
Continue reading ‘The Boss’s Burger: Florida Man Arrested For Burger Battery’
Sticks and Stones May . . . Result in a Tasering: Colorado Police Taser Unruly 10-Year-Old Boy Because Using Pepper Spray Would Have Endangered Officer
Published 1, December 7, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , Politics , Society 13 Comments
We recently saw how a taser was used on a ten-year-old girl who refused to take a bath in Arkansas, here. Now, police in Pueblo, Colorado have tasered a 10-year-old boy who threw a stick at an officer and was holding a pipe. Captain Jeff Teschner defended his deputies by saying that the use of pepper spray would have put the officers in danger with an unruly ten-year-old boy.
Mommy Issues: Florida Man Arrested After Allegedly Trying to Run Mother Off the Road
Published 1, December 7, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , Society 6 Comments
In Oldsmar, Florida, Sheila Curr is making alternative plans for Mother’s Day. Her son, Matthew Curr, 18, was arrested after he allegedly tried to run his own mother off the road.
Continue reading ‘Mommy Issues: Florida Man Arrested After Allegedly Trying to Run Mother Off the Road’
Fall From Grace: Expert Finds Nancy Grace Contributed to Suicide of Mother
Published 1, December 7, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , Media , Politics , Society , Torts 40 Comments
A Harvard professor has concluded that CNN Headline New’s rabid host, Nancy Grace, contributed to the death of a mother, Melinda Duckett, who committed suicide three years ago after being savaged by Grace.
Continue reading ‘Fall From Grace: Expert Finds Nancy Grace Contributed to Suicide of Mother’
Prehistoric Family Values: Senator Who Defended Traditional Marriage Is Sentenced for Slashing Face of Girlfriend and Dragging Her Through the Apartment Lobby
Published 1, December 7, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , Politics , Society 174 Comments
Hiram Monserrate attracted statewide attention in New York as one of the Democrats who defended “traditional marriage” and “family values” in recently voting down a bill that would have made same-sex marriage legal the state. His concept of family values was questioned after he was sentenced for assaulting his girlfriend Karla Giraldo. Monserrate slashed Giraldo’s face and dragged her through the lobby of his Queens apartment building. Good old family values from the Paleolithic Period.
Continue reading ‘Prehistoric Family Values: Senator Who Defended Traditional Marriage Is Sentenced for Slashing Face of Girlfriend and Dragging Her Through the Apartment Lobby’
Off on a Tangent: Teacher Displays Trust After Arrest for Child Molestation
Published 1, December 7, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , Religion , Society 7 Comments
One has to love the t-shirt choice for this mugshot for Jenifer Stitzel, 34, a Christian preschool teacher arrested for having sexual contact with a 14-year-old boy on school grounds at the Central Valley Christian School in Tangent, Oregon. It all about trust.
Continue reading ‘Off on a Tangent: Teacher Displays Trust After Arrest for Child Molestation’
Judge Denies Motion as “Incredibly Asinine, Ill-Conceived, Unfounded and Personally and Professionally Insulting”
Published 1, December 7, 2009 Bizarre , Courts , Lawyering , Society , Torts 9 Comments
District Court Judge William Pattinson was a bit subtle but methinks he does not like this motion for venue change. The judge denied the motion after saying it was “so incredibly asinine, ill-conceived, unfounded and personally and professionally insulting that it is unworthy of any discussion or consideration.” Yikes.
Continue reading ‘Judge Denies Motion as “Incredibly Asinine, Ill-Conceived, Unfounded and Personally and Professionally Insulting”’
Meat Makeup: Where Hamburgers Go To Get That TV Perfect Look
Published 1, December 7, 2009 Bizarre , Media , Society 6 Comments It turns out that hamburgers have makeovers too. It now appears that those toned buns and firm patties are no accident.
Continue reading ‘Meat Makeup: Where Hamburgers Go To Get That TV Perfect Look’
Turley Blog Adds Cloaking Abilities in ABA Competition
Published 1, December 6, 2009 Academics , Bizarre , Media , Society 22 CommentsAssuming that Elaine’s plan for the pod people do not work in enhancing our votes in the ABA competition, we have located cloaking technology to allow us to move freely from site to site.
Continue reading ‘Turley Blog Adds Cloaking Abilities in ABA Competition’
We Few, We Happy Few . . .
Published 1, December 6, 2009 Academics , Bizarre , Constitutional Law , Courts , Criminal law , Environment , International , Justice , Lawyering , Media , Military , Politics , Religion , Society , Supreme Court 50 Comments
The voting continues with the ABA. Some would say that we are outmatched in second place with 66 votes to The Legal Satyricon with 106. But every great movie from Rocky to Star Wars has the underdog struggling before a thrilling victory. Yea, that’s us. Part Rocky, Part Jedi. Worse yet, that means a planet will be destroyed (who needs to threaten kittens) if we lose. By the way, the low numbers over all are the result of a weirdly rigid and awkward voting system. The result is that it suppresses the votes overall and requires people to go through a couple of steps. Below is your weekly inspiration to get the vote out.
Continue reading ‘We Few, We Happy Few . . .’
Bad Hampster: Consumer Group Says Popular New Toy Is Not Just Cute But Carcinogenic
Published 1, December 6, 2009 Bizarre , Media , Society , Torts 10 Comments
One of the hottest toys this year is Zhu Zhu pets — robotic hamsters. GoodGuide, a consumer group, has alleged that the toys are not only hot but toxic. While the manufacturer denies the allegation, the group insists that the toys have a dangerous level of antimony, which can cause cancer as well as lung and heart damage.
Continue reading ‘Bad Hampster: Consumer Group Says Popular New Toy Is Not Just Cute But Carcinogenic’
As we struggle against overwhelming numbers in the ABA competition, this picture shows the value of working as a team.
Continue reading ‘THE MEANING OF TEAM WORK’
You’re a Kelev Tov, Yes You Are: Montana Rabbi Enlisted To Translate For Israeli Training Dog
Published 1, December 6, 2009 Criminal law , Politics , Society 5 Comments
In Montana, Rabbi Chaim Bruk has found a calling. There are horse whispers and bird callers. Rabbi Bruk is a dog translator. His new position with the Helena Police Department involves a certain German Shepard named Miky and a group of confused goyum officers.
Illinois Woman Arrested for Filming Four Minutes of Film at Birthday Party
Published 1, December 6, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , Media , Society 8 Comments
Samantha Tumpach should have listened to the Vatican when it said to stay away from the movie The New Moon, here. The 22-year-old woman was jailed and is facing felony charges after filming 4 minutes of the film at the surprise 29th Birthday party for her sister.
Continue reading ‘Illinois Woman Arrested for Filming Four Minutes of Film at Birthday Party’
Sporkin Report Finds the Destruction of Evidence in World Bank Case Was Presumptively Neither Innocent Nor Accidental
Published 1, December 5, 2009 Constitutional Law , Courts , Criminal law , Lawyering , Politics , Society 12 Comments
For those following the World Bank/IMF litigation, the Attorney General of the District of Columbia has been repeatedly referencing the forthcoming report of his adviser, former Judge Stan Sporkin, on the allegations of the destruction of evidence in the case. Judge Sullivan has previously indicated that he is considering a criminal referral and would wait for the Sporkin Report. The District waited until after 6 p.m. on a Friday night to file the report.
Continue reading ‘Sporkin Report Finds the Destruction of Evidence in World Bank Case Was Presumptively Neither Innocent Nor Accidental’
Senator Max Baucus Admits That He Had Romantic Relationship with Former Staffer When He Nominated Her For U.S. Attorney Position
Published 1, December 5, 2009 Bizarre , Congress , Politics , Society 40 CommentsSenate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus has admitted that he was romantically involved with a former staffer when he recommended her earlier this year to become the next U.S. attorney for Montana. Baucus only recently separated from his second wife, Ty Matsdorf, and had a romantic relationship with his former staffer Melodee Hanes starting in the summer of 2008. He nominated her for the appointment in March but they later agreed to withdraw the nomination when they moved into the same house.
The Man Who Moves Blocks: Stonehenge Mystery Unraveled By Guy Named Wally
Published 1, December 5, 2009 Academics , Bizarre , Society 24 CommentsWally Wallington in Flint, Michigan, may have answered one of the great mysteries in history: how did the builders of Stonehenge move and stack such massive blocks without machinery.
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Big Mullah is Listening: Iran Threatening Critics on Facebook and Other Internet Sites
Published 1, December 5, 2009 Bizarre , Constitutional Law , Criminal law , International , Media , Politics , Religion , Society 3 Comments
Iran has continued its crackdown on critics domestically and internationally. It has sentenced protesters to death over the demonstrations contesting the presidential elections. It has also reportedly created a unit to monitor critics abroad and threatened students on Facebook. Others have been forced to surrender their access codes at airports to allow police to review their sites.
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Playing With Bad Notes: Band Teacher Allegedly Caught Writing Lewd Notes to Middle School Girls
Published 1, December 5, 2009 Academics , Bizarre , Criminal law , Society 7 Comments
Parents with children at the Buffalo Community Middle School are in shock after the arrest of their band leader, Martin Bartels, 53, for allegedly leaving lewd messages on the lockers of girls. He was reportedly caught on videotape and confronted in the midst of writing a third letter.
Amanda Knox Found Guilty of Murder and Sentenced to 26 Years in Prison
Published 1, December 5, 2009 Criminal law , International , Politics , Society , Torts 41 Comments
The twenty-two-year old called Foxy Knoxy, Amanda Knox, was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 26 years in an Italian prison. Her former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito was sentenced to 25 years. Meredith Kercher was killed Nov. 1, 2007 in the cottage she shared with Knox.
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GW Law Student to Compete on Jeopardy This Monday
Published 1, December 4, 2009 Academics , Bizarre , Media , Politics , Society 15 CommentsAnswer: Macaca . . . Question: What single word ended the career of a United States Senator? That is one question that Shekar Ramanuja (S.R.) Sidarth would likely nail on Monday when he appears on Jeopardy. Sidarth is the student who brought down Senator George Allen in Virginia when Allen referred to him as Macaca — a racial slur in South Africa and other countries. Sidarth is of Indian descent. He is one of my current students in torts. [Update: Sidarth came in second].
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I Get A Kick Out of You: Couple Executes Contract Limiting Marital Martial Art Beatings
Published 1, December 4, 2009 Bizarre , Society 5 Comments
For husbands who feel put upon by their spouses, consider yourself lucky. A 33-year-old man named Zhang executed a formal contract under which his wife, a kung fu expert, is allowed to beat him no more than once a week.
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The Bad Elf: Georgia Man Arrested After Telling Santa That He Had A Bomb
Published 1, December 4, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , Society 6 Comments
Police say that William C. Caldwell III is a bad elf. The 45-year-old man appeared dressed as an elf at a mall in Morrow, Georgia and said that he was carrying dynamite.
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Pressing the Flesh: Georgia House Speaker Resigns Amid Sex Scandal With Lobbyist
Published 1, December 4, 2009 Bizarre , Politics , Society 25 Comments
Georgia’s House Speaker Glenn Richardson ran on a family values platform as a Republican, but has been embroiled in a scandal involving his alleged affair with a lobbyist for Atlanta Gas and Light. He later tried to commit suicide and now has resigned after his ex-wife came forward with alleged proof of the affair.
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Barfoot and Flagrant: War Hero Fights For Right to Fly Flag
Published 1, December 4, 2009 Constitutional Law , Military , Politics , Society 25 Comments
Col. Van T. Barfoot, 90, is one of the nation’s oldest Medal of Honor winners but has found himself in another desperate struggle: against his neighborhood association. Barfoot put up a 21-Foot flagpole to hoist Old Glory only to be told by the Sussex Square homeowners’ association that he will be sued if he does not take down the flagpole. It appears that the flagpole is a bit too flagrant a display for the “aesthetics” of the association.
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Pruning the Tree of Knowledge: Religious Advocates Vandalize Atheist Tree and Officials Demand That It Be Shortened By Eight Feet To Be Lower Than The Christmas Tree
Published 1, December 4, 2009 Bizarre , Constitutional Law , Media , Politics , Religion , Society 51 Comments
In the Book of Genesis, the tree of knowledge was a tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:9) from which God directly forbade Adam to eat (Genesis 2:17). In Philadelphia, religious advocates would prefer that it not be seen, let alone touched. The tree of knowledge is an atheist display showing books (including the Bible) as part of secular humanist values. The tree has been vandalized and hit with a series of harassing demands. These include that the 18 foot tree be cut down to ten feet — since no display can be higher than the Christmas tree. Officials also declared that the creche won a “first come, first served” status — allowing them to move the tree to a less visible spot.
Long Island’s Les Misérables: Muslim Storekeeper’s Generosity Leads to Robber’s Redemption
Published 1, December 4, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , Religion , Society 10 Comments
This Christmas season, the most inspiring story may be one involving a Muslim store owner. It is the Long Island version of Les Misérables and Jean Valjean is played by a distraught robber in a convenience store. In May 2009, a man wielding a bat barged into the Shirley Express convenience store just as it was closing and demanded money. The owner, Mohammad Sohail, was too fast and grabbed a rifle and pointed it directly at the man, who fell to the ground weeping that he was just trying to support his family. Sohail believed him and gave him $40 and a loaf of bread. Sohail later received an apology note from the man and $50 in the mail.
Continue reading ‘Long Island’s Les Misérables: Muslim Storekeeper’s Generosity Leads to Robber’s Redemption’
QUESTION OF THE DAY: WHAT DOES A BUDDHIST MONK DO ON A BUMPER CAR?
Published 1, December 3, 2009 Bizarre , Religion , Society 19 Comments
This could be a Zen question. Do you aim for the other cars or the space between the cars?
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Seeing Rouge: Iran Bans Women With Makeup From Television
Published 1, December 3, 2009 Bizarre , International , Media , Politics , Religion , Society 9 Comments
It is enough to make you blush, but don’t . . . it’s against the rules. The medieval troglodyte known as the Islamic Republic of Iran has issued a new directive. The state television authority has announced that it will bar any women wearing makeup from appearing on television as well as unIslamic “abnormal” music.
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Father Loses Job, Seeks Reduction in Child Support So Florida Judge Increases Payments By $300 and Then Recuses Herself for a Conflict
Published 1, December 3, 2009 Bizarre , Courts , Lawyering , Politics , Society 27 CommentsThere is a disturbing case out of Orlando, Florida involving a curious ruling on child support. John Nelson is a father who had lost his six-figure salary as a software executive. Nelson secured a lower paying job as a teacher to support himself and pay his child support. He waited a year to get a hearing before Family law Judge Julian Piggotte to reduce his $2200 monthly payments in light of his lower income. Instead, Piggotte increased the payments and left Nelson with just $200 a month to survive. She then recused herself because her husband works with Nelson’s ex-wife at the state attorney’s office.
Continue reading ‘Father Loses Job, Seeks Reduction in Child Support So Florida Judge Increases Payments By $300 and Then Recuses Herself for a Conflict’
Party Pooper: White House Invokes Separation of Powers to Block Testimony of Social Secretary
Published 1, December 3, 2009 Bizarre , Congress , Constitutional Law , Courts , Criminal law , Media , Politics , Society 16 Comments
Usually privilege fights focus on testimony of White House staffers on conversations with President or military and state secrets. President Barack Obama, however, has invoked the separation of powers to block the testimony of Desiree Rogers, the White House Social Secretary, on the recent controversy over Michaele and Tareq Salahi. It appears that nothing less than Article II and the integrity of the Executive Branch is at stake in hearing from someone who arranges parties for the First Couple.
The Sofa of Suspension: Michigan Attorney Suspended Following Criminal Plea and Allegations That He Used a “Couch of Restitution” To Solicit Sex From Clients
Published 1, December 3, 2009 Bizarre , Lawyering , Society 13 Comments
The entertainment world is quite familiar with the “casting couch” where aspiring actresses and actors are expected to grant sexual favors for parts. Now an attorney has been suspended for 180 days after being accused of using a “restitution couch” for clients to pay for legal services with sexual services. Michigan attorney Murdoch Hertzog pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault and battery in exchange for dismissal of charges of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct in 2001. Now, a panel has shown Hertzog the sofa of suspension.
Continue reading ‘The Sofa of Suspension: Michigan Attorney Suspended Following Criminal Plea and Allegations That He Used a “Couch of Restitution” To Solicit Sex From Clients’
Crew Member Sues Maersk Over Hijacking of Vessel By Pirates
Published 1, December 3, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , International , Politics , Society , Torts 8 Comments
There is an interesting torts suit stemming from the pirating of the Maersk Alabama in the Gulf of Aden. Crew members are now accusing the celebrated captain of the ship, Richard Phillips, of causing the incident by ignoring repeated warnings to sail around the area after earlier pirate attacks.
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The True Obama High: Police Seize Obama Ecstasy Pills
Published 1, December 3, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , Society 8 Comments
Mario Guadalupe Saenz, 22, was arrested in Palmview, Texas after police found a bag of ecstasy pills that seemed strikingly familiar: they are shaped in Obama’s image. Other pills featured Homer Simpson. It turns out that that euphoria that you feel with Obama may be more chemical than political.
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Dropping Acid For the Queen: Video Shows Effects of Military Experimentation with LSD
Published 1, December 3, 2009 Bizarre , International , Military , Society 14 CommentsThis video is truly amazing. The British had an entire unit take LSD to see how they performed after dropping acid. With one soldier climbing a tree to feed a bird and the commander rolling around laughing, the unit was ready more for Woodstock than Waterloo.
Benedict Arnold Cleared! West Point Found to Be Enemy Camp
Published 1, December 2, 2009 Academics , Bizarre , Criminal law , Politics , Society 17 Comments
Many conservative pundits are up in arms over MSNBC host Chris Matthews calling West Point the “enemy camp.” However, what has been ignored is the impact on the status of Gen. Benedict Arnold.
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No Cases for You: San Diego District Attorney Boycotts Judge
Published 1, December 2, 2009 Bizarre , Courts , Criminal law , Justice , Lawyering , Society 13 Comments
San Diego Superior Court Judge John Einhorn has found a way to reduce his caseload. District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis has told prosecutors to block any criminal cases that go before the judge. Yet, when asked about the boycott, Dumanis insists that Einhorn is a “well-respected jurist” — just a jurist whom she doesn’t want to rule on any criminal case.
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Cardinal: No Gays Go To Heaven
Published 1, December 2, 2009 Bizarre , Constitutional Law , International , Politics , Religion , Society 37 Comments
Cardinal Javier Lozano Barraga, Mexican Cardinal and President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers in the Roman Catholic Church, has declared that there are no homosexuals or transsexuals in heaven. If they want heaven, they have to change their sexual partners to members of the opposite sex.
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Federal Judge Criticizes NYPD For “Widespread Falsification” of Arrest Reports
Published 1, December 2, 2009 Bizarre , Courts , Criminal law , Politics , Society 17 Comments
One of the most famous federal judges in the country lashed out at the New York Police Department this week, accusing the department of a proven record of “widespread falsification by arresting officers.” The criticism came with Judge Jack Weinstein’s decision not to throw out a lawsuit by two men busted on false narcotics charges, Maximo Colon and his brother Jose Colon. We previously discussed this arrest.
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Dead Letter: Mother Sues After Receiving Back Letter To Son in Iraq Stamped “DECEASED”
Published 1, December 2, 2009 Bizarre , Military , Politics , Society , Torts 9 Comments
There is an interesting tort case out of Minnesota where a mother mistakingly received a return letter stamped “DECEASED” after she wrote to her son serving in Iraq. Joan Najbar is a critic of the war and is suing the military for negligent infliction of emotional distress and other claims. Her son, Sam Eininger, was serving with the National Guard in Iraq in 2006 and was very much alive.
Court Throws Jesus Christ Out of Court as Disruptive
Published 1, December 2, 2009 Bizarre , Courts , Lawyering , Politics , Religion , Society 11 Comments
For those who have fought to introduce religious symbols like the Bible and the Ten Commandments in courthouses in Alabama (here and here), the decision of Judge Clyde Jones could not be more poignant. This week the Birmingham judge literally threw out Jesus Christ from the courtroom. That is the name adopted by Dorothy Lola Killingworth, who appeared as a juror but proceeded to be as disruptive as her namesake in temple market.
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Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon Convicted of Fraudulent Misappropriation
Published 1, December 2, 2009 Criminal law , Politics , Society 18 Comments
Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon has been convicted of a single count of fraudulent misappropriation by a fiduciary. It was one of the original 12 counts of corruption in an indictment (later reduced at trial, including four counts of perjury, two counts of misconduct, three counts of theft and three counts of fraudulent misappropriations. The allegations stemmed from the use of gift cards from two real estate developers — who gave the cards to help needy families and instead discovered that they were being used allegedly by Dixon to buy things like a PlayStation2, CDs and DVDs.
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Court Orders Arizona Deputy to Jail After He Refuses to Apologize for Swiping Attorney’s Notes in Court
Published 1, December 2, 2009 Constitutional Law , Courts , Criminal law , Lawyering , Society 33 Comments Officer Adam Stoddard of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office has added contempt of court to his prior violation of attorney-client confidentiality. At the urging of his boss, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Stoddard has refused to apologize to defense attorney Joanne Cuccia after he swiped handwritten notes from her papers — caught in the videotape above. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Gary Donahoe ordered Stoddard to either apologize or report to jail — a remarkably light sentence. However, Arpaio encouraged his officer to go to jail — just the latest outrageous act by Arpaio who has been widely accused of acting more like a petty dictator than a police officer in Arizona.
Continue reading ‘Court Orders Arizona Deputy to Jail After He Refuses to Apologize for Swiping Attorney’s Notes in Court’
TURLEY BLOG MAKES TOP 100 — RACE BEGINS FOR TOP SPOT IN IMHO (OPINION) CATEGORY
Published 1, December 1, 2009 Academics , Bizarre , Columns , Congress , Constitutional Law , Courts , Criminal law , Environment , International , Justice , Lawyering , Media , Military , Politics , Religion , Society , Supreme Court , Things That Tick Me Off , Torts , Uncategorized , USA Today 75 CommentsThe moment has come. For the last twelve months, we have basked in the glory as the Top Law Professor and Legal Theory Blog. Now, the ABA has started the Third Annual Competition. The good news is that we once again made the top 100 blogs. However, the ABA has mixed things up a bit with new categories. We have been moved to the Opinion category (IMHO- in my humble opinion slot). The ABA editors, however, have put us up against one of the oldest and most popular legal sites, Althouse. To vote, click here.
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Former Miss Argentina Dies After Cosmetic Surgery on Buttocks
Published 1, December 1, 2009 Bizarre , International , Society , Torts 10 Comments
We have been following tort cases involving cosmetic surgeries. Now, former Miss Argentina, Solange Magnano, has died from complications after undergoing gluteoplasty to reduce her buttocks in Buenos Aires.
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Can You Hear Me Now? Police Officer Recorded Using Racial Slur on Cell
Published 1, December 1, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , Politics , Society 6 Comments
Maryland Trooper Sgt. John Maiello may wish that coverage was not as good on the Eastern Shore. He is accused of unwittingly leaving a message with a racial slur on the cell phone answering system of Teleta DaShiell. The officer on the call clearly believes that the phone call has ended and is heard using the slurs in reference to DaShiell.
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Satanic Styles: Syracuse Student Finds Answer to Homophobic Protesters
Published 1, December 1, 2009 Academics , Bizarre , Constitutional Law , Politics , Religion , Society 14 Comments
Finally, someone has an answer to homophobic protesters.
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Can The White House Crashers Be Criminally Charged?
Published 1, December 1, 2009 Bizarre , Criminal law , Politics , Society 16 CommentsTareq and Michaele Salahi are likely to discover the meaning of the common criminal law adage “one day on the cover of Time, next day doing time.” The Secret Service is likely to push for the criminal investigation of the White House crashers this week. The question is what such charges might look like.
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Report: Millions of AIDS Cases in Africa Are Caused By Medical Malpractice
Published 1, December 1, 2009 Academics , Bizarre , International , Politics , Society 4 Comments
There is a horrific report out of the Royal Society of Medicine. The number of AIDS cases in Africa continues to rise and is often blamed upon cultural practices and incompetent governments. Now, however, a report indicates that almost five million cases were likely caused by poor health practices, particularly the use of dirty needles by medical personnel.
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Ohio Unveils New Single Drug Execution Protocol
Published 1, December 1, 2009 Criminal law , Society 16 Comments
After various prior scandals involving botched executions (and a recently cancelled execution), Ohio has introduced a new execution protocol and drug — abandoning the traditional three-drug cocktail for a single dose execution.
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