Iran has supplied the world with another outrage from the application of its medieval Sharia law system. An Iranian court sentenced seven young adults to be flogged plus prison time for the offense of shooting a video of themselves dancing to the American pop hit “Happy.” Another court issued a death sentence for a blogger accused of simply insulting Prophet Muhammad.
Category: Bizarre
There may be some interesting tort questions raised by a new Internet sensation created by former flight attendant Shawn Kathleen, who has started a movement to shame passengers who act badly on flights. Passenger Shaming has taken off with travelers on Facebook and Instagram.
Continue reading “Passenger Shaming: Sweet Revenge or Tortious Fun?”
There is a bizarre case out of Boise, Idaho where a group of five teenagers were injured when a SUV crashed. The cause of the accident was a 16-year-old boy who reportedly decided it would be funny to light the armpit hair of the driver, 18-year-old Tristian Myers, on fire. Two of the girls, 15 and 16 years of age, were thrown from the Ford Bronco.
There is a truly healthy development occurring in tobacco country. It appears that farmers are pulling up tobacco plants with the falling market in order to plant a crop in higher demand: chick peas. Why? Hummus, my friend, thar’s gold in them golden dips. It is the ultimate healthy trade off and one of the more promising signs of the successful campaign against tobacco use.
Continue reading “Hummus Over Humidors: Farmers Reportedly Turning To Chickpeas Over Tobacco”
We previously discussed the arrest of U.S. District Judge Mark Fuller in Alabama for misdemeanor battery of his wife. Now members are raising the possibility of impeachment if he does not resign despite the absence of a conviction on the misdemeanor. Rep. Martha Roby (R., Alabama) is citing a rather novel source of extraconstitutional precedent: the NFL Ray Rice case.
Continue reading “High Crimes and [NFL] Misdemeanors? Members Raise Impeachment In Fuller Case”
A Little Rock courtroom was the scene of a truly sad fall from grace as former Arkansas Judge Bob Sam Castleman was given 40 years for methamphetamine manufacturing and distribution conspiracy. Some ten years ago, Castleman and his son were sent to jail after they mailed a live poisonous snake to a man with whom they had a dispute. There was a real Breaking Bad quality to the trial that included a demand for life in prison after prosecutors were allowed to argue that Castleman killed a witness in the drug case even though he was never criminally charged in the case. The defense had a compelling argument that it was improper to put the death of the witness, Travis Perkins, (who was also a codefendant) into the trial. Perkins was found shot to death in an apartment in Pocahontas, Arkansas just days before he was set to testify against Castleman.
Continue reading “Former Judge Sentenced To 40 Years In Prison As Meth Manufacturer and Dealer”
This was beginning to sound too familiar. A president is calling for a new war based on his inherent authority while members of Congress warn that it is war or death for America. However, former NSA director (and my neighbor) Michael Hayden added a new element: explaining that air power is like “casual sex” and that we need greater commitment than the military equivalent to a one night stand. Of course, this one night stand is expected to last months and cost billions. President Obama has already asked for $500 million to just arm Syrian rebels despite the fact that we are now facing our own weaponry in the hands of ISIS (captured from our past supply of rebels and the Iraqi military). Sort of like Warren Zevon’s song to send “Lawyers, Guns, and Money” except we are leaving the lawyers behind on this one.
Saudi Arabia has long been one of the most vocal countries to object to any insult or restriction impacting Islam in other countries. However, it continues to deny the free exercise of religion to non-Muslims. That oppressive record was on full display this week with the report of another series of arrests of Christians who were merely trying to pray. The infamous Morality Police (Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice) raided the prayer meeting and arrested everyone for the crime of praying to another God.
Continue reading “Saudi Police Reportedly Raid and Arrest 28 Christians Praying At Home”
This is truly one of the more disturbing and bizarre criminal cases of the year. Kathy Rowe, 53, was shouldering a huge load with a severely disabled daughter and ill husband. She not only worked full time but slept in a chair in her daughter’s room every night. She was such an extraordinary mother that, in 2006, was picked as one of San Diego’s 50 best moms and mother of the year in 2007. She is now looking at jail time for how she decided to get a house that she felt was meant for her family.
Shirley Mae Mason, 46, is certainly not the first shoplifter faced by Walmart but she may be the first to use a Walmart motorized wheelchair for her getaway. The amazing thing is that Mason got two miles before police caught up with her.
Republicans and independents often complain of being an outcast political minority in the heavily Democratic Washington, D.C. However, one parent was unprepared for the homework assignment that his child brought home from McKinley Tech Middle School: asking students to draw comparisons between Adolf Hitler and George W. Bush.
Continue reading “D.C. School Assigns Homework Comparing Bush To Hitler”
Virginia’s Augusta County school board is in deep deliberation this week after a request of an 11-year-old girl, Grace Karaffa, that she be allowed to circumvent a zero tolerance rule. What is the little demon trying to bring into Stuarts Draft Elementary School, you ask. Heroin? Crossbow? No, Grace wants to bring in ChapStick to keep her lips from bleeding. That’s right, the little Chaphead was caught red lipped in class by a teacher who confiscated the tube. Personally, I am thankful that one school is fighting chap heads who often use peer pressure to get other children to moisturize. ChapStick is a known gateway product to more dangerous products like hand lotion and Deep Pore Scrubs.
Shawn Lee Canfield, 25, experienced a serious problem in maintaining a claim of innocence last week after he was arrested for suspected bank robbery. As he walked through the police station, money started falling out of his pants in what can only be described as an incriminating trail.
Egypt has continued its crackdown on social and religious minorities under Sharia law with the arrested of seven men for debauchery, “incitement to debauchery” and “publishing indecent images” after they were shown taking part in a “gay marriage” video on social media networks. The prosecutor declared that the video was “humiliating, regrettable and would anger God.”
Continue reading “Egypt Arrested Seven Men After Being Shown In Gay Marriage Video On YouTube”
There is a bizarre case out of India this week where four people were arrested after they allegedly converted to Islam without state approval. In India, under the ironically named Freedom of Religion Act, you must get state approval before changing religions. The law is meant to guarantee that people are not coerced into conversions. In light of the ongoing forced conversions of ISIS or the Islamic State, that is a legitimate concern. However, it would seem a problem that can be addressed by just criminalizing forced or coerced conversions as opposed to forcing everyone to get state permission to change faiths. The obvious concern is that in the largely Hindu nation, such permission can itself be coercive for those who want to leave the Hindu faith.