There is a disturbing video of a Campbell, California police officer who points his gun at a man in a vehicle for nine minutes during a traffic stop despite the objections of the occupants that they had done nothing to warrant that level of threat.
In Los Angeles County, a fire fighter had to pull away a skateboard from a contractor trapped in raging flood waters to airlift him out. While skateboards relish getting “air,” holding on to your skateboard in a torrent with a helicopter lifting you next to power lines is a bit too much of an “air walk” attempt for a dedicated skateboarder.
Today Attorney General Jeff Sessions is expected to discuss a new leak crackdown, but he will have to deal with questions raised by one of the most massive leaks in recent memory. Someone has leaked the entire transcripts of two heated January phone calls with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. The conversations are deeply embarrassing for the Administration because they directly contradict statements made by Trump to the public. These transcripts would also be likely classified, making their release a federal offense.
One would think that with President Donald Trump at record low polling in the 30s (and Congress with even lower polling around 10 percent favorability), the Administration would not be struggling to find a cause further irritate the American public. However, Attorney General Jeff Sessions appears on the brink of doing just that. Despite many states either legalizing or moving to legalize marijuana, Sessions is expected to announce a new crackdown on the multi-billion industry. Not only will the crackdown threaten billions in taxes now collected by these states, but it will contravene the wishes of roughly half of the population. Indeed, according to the latest Harvard-Harris survey 86 percent of Americans now support either legalizing pot for either recreational or medicinal use or both. Indeed, 49 percent want pot legalized outright for recreational use. The Administration however is about to go on a direct collision course with many states — including red states — that has legalized marijuana.
In Great Britain,Wayne Esmonde, 35, is a bit put out. The fugitive is beside himself over the mugshot being posted in the search. The picture is distinctly “unflattering” in his view and he has asked that it be discarded by police.
Continue reading “Fugitive Contacts Police To Object To “Unflattering” Mugshot On Wanted Posters”
The heated exchange between White House Senior Adviser Stephen Miller and CNN reporter Jim Acosta this week has been the focus of much coverage. Both men went after each other over immigration and, in my view, neither came off particularly well. Acosta at times seemed more of an advocate than a journalist while Miller seemed bizarrely eager to convert the press conference into some high school debating competition. However, my greatest interest was Miller’s repeated accusation that Acosta had revealed his “Cosmopolitan bias.” This may be a new term of art in political circles but it left me scratching my head. It was like the scene in Princess Bride when Montoya stops Vizzini after he says “inconceivable” for the umpteenth time: “You keep using that word, I do not think it means what you think it means.”
An arrest warrant was issued Monday for Northwestern Prof. Wyndham Lathem, 42, in connection with the stabbing death of Trenton Cornell-Duranleau, 26, a cosmetologist from Michigan. Police are also seeking University of Oxford employee Andrew Warren, 56. The stabbing occurred at Lathem’s address and Cornell-Duranleau’s body showed lacerations.
Continue reading “Chicago Police Issue Warrant To Arrest Northwestern Professor For Murder”
Two stories this week show how the views of people can shape and deceive them in the perception of photos. In Minnesota, Black Lives Matter advocates caused an uproar with a picture of what they claimed was the possible lynching of a black man in a St. Paul park. In Norway, anti-immigrant bloggers circulated a photo of what they claimed to be a city bus filled with women in full burkas. The lynching turned out to be the suicide of a middle aged white man and the Muslim women turned out to be empty cars.
Continue reading “The Eye of the Beholder: Two Photos Trigger Racial and Religious Controversies”
President Donald Trump has been widely criticized for his breaking an 80-year-old tradition in making political comments at the Boy Scouts National Jamboree in West Virginia. When asked about the controversy, however, Trump refused to apologize and instead said that there were no “mixed” views at the event. Rather, he said that the head of the Boy Scouts called him and told him it was “the greatest speech that was ever made to them.” That comment left many scratching their heads since the Boy Scouts apologized to parents for the Presidents speech and said yesterday that they are unaware of any such telephone call.
Controversial statements by President Donald Trump in the past have often been treated by his supporters as hyperbole or not to be taken strictly or even seriously. However, a speech last Friday had some particularly chilling elements for anyone who believes in the rule of the law. Trump was speaking to law enforcement officers and urged them not to be “too nice” to suspected criminals and gang members. He further seemed to encourage intentional acts of harm and abuse in the handling of prisoners. The comments were irresponsible and should be be corrected by the White House. We recently discussed Trump’s praise for Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who has bragged about extrajudicial killings and encouraged police abuse. This is obviously not that extreme but it is still highly disturbing in a speech where the President has pledged that “We have your backs 100 percent” while encouraging them to be rough in handling of suspects. His comments have led to police organizations publicly rejecting the comments and assuring the public that they will not engage in such conduct.
There is an interesting case out of Michigan where the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that a man can be charged with driving while intoxicated on his own private driveway. The case against Gino Rea of Northville was reinstated in this decision (PDF) after the court found that the law encompasses any area accessible to motor vehicles, even if it is on private property.
The case of Sergio Jose Martinez, 31, in Portland, Oregon is likely to magnify the current debate over sanctuary cities. Martinez broke into the home of a 65-year-old woman and sexual assaulted her. He then stole her car and proceeded to assault another woman. He was finally arrested after a chase by police. It was discovered that Martinez was previously arrested and, despite a long criminal history and an immigration detainer, was released by authorities. He has been deported 20 previous times and has at least five probation violations.
Continue reading “Oregon Case Renews Debate Over Sanctuary Laws”
The shocking comments of new White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci on Thursday has left the Trump Administration staggering around Washington with no one clearly in control of the staff and, ironically, an increase in leaks about Scaramucci and fears of the President’s staff. In the meantime, the crude comments of Scaramucci have undermined any effort of the White House to convey strength after the stinging defeat of the “skinny” health care bill. With Republicans in open revolt, the Scaramucci controversy conveys a team in disarray and division. This was the worst possible time to go full Jerry Springer.
Many were surprised — and a bit saddened — to hear President Donald Trump give a highly partisan speech at the National Scout Jamboree. For roughly 80 years, Presidents have avoided political speeches at the event. That tradition was shattered in a big way by Trump on Monday before 40,000 scouts. Now the Boy Scouts of America has issued a formal apology to all of the parents about the content of Trump’s speech — a stinging rebuke for the President. The White House responded by refusing to apologize from the departure of 80 years of precedent.
Defense counsel often discuss demeanor in court with our clients. One thing that we all agree on is that it is a uniquely bad idea to smirk during victim statements, particularly in a murder case. That is one lesson Danta Wright, 17, did not learn and it almost cost him the plea bargain negotiated with prosecutors.