Convicted drug dealer Calvin Eugene Wells is looking at a likely release from prison based not on his conduct or innocence, but a three-letter typo. Wells was sentenced in October 2005 to 10 years for his possession of more than 100 grams of cocaine. However, the verdict form signed by the jurors contained a typo that wast eh grounds for an appellate court to slashed his sentence down to a fifth-degree felony.
Continue reading “Ohio Inmate to be Freed Over Typo on Sentencing Form”
Category: Bizarre
DePaul University President The Reverend Fr. Dennis H. Holtschneider (right) has announced his selection of Illinois Appellate Judge Warren Wolfson, 76, as the new interim dean at the DePaul University College of Law for a two-year appointment. The announcement led to the resignation of the associate dean and only further angered the faculty and students.
Continue reading “DePaul President Names Former Judge as New “Interim” Dean for Two Years”
The St. Petersburg Times is running a series on the Church of Scientology that has some pretty eye-popping allegations, particularly with regard to Church leader David Miscavige. For those who have long argued that the Church is a cult (most recently in Europe) the exposé will likely reinforce their views.
Dorothy Hendricks, 54, of St. Croix has been charged with allegedly trying to sell her vote on a criminal jury. Another juror is also under investigation in the U.S. Virgin Islands for trying to sell their votes for between $3000 and $5000 to a defense attorney.
Continue reading “Jurors Under Investigation for Attempted Bribery”
>Israel has a case that would make for an interesting false light and defamation claim in the United States. Indymedia Israel, a news site popular with civil libertarians, ran a picture of a soldier with the caption “murderer” and said that he was responsible for the death of Bassem Abu Rahma, who was hit in the chest with a tear gas grenade in Bilin near the West Bank. The government says that the soldier was not involved in the incident.
Continue reading “Website Under Investigation in Israel For Featuring Soldier As Alleged Killer”
Attorney Bryan Simmons says that he was brought low by the double scourge of hard work and catfish. Simmons drove off the road and got stuck in a ditch with a flat tire– the result of fatigue from a trial and a reaction to the black pepper sprinkled on his catfish. District Judge John Miller ordered him to pay the costs of a trial that ended in the middle of jury selection due to his failure to appear.
Continue reading “Fish Story? Texas Lawyer Asserts the Catfish Defense in DWI Case”
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has come out with criticism of the citizens who have filed ethics complaints against her. She says that all of these ethics charges are frivolous and politically motivated — and cost $500,000 to defend against.
U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor has resigned from the all-women Belizean Grove club — waiting for Friday to try to bury the announcement in the weekend news. Sotomayor did not express any personal concerns or regrets about joining an exclusive club and only stated that she did not want it to be a “distraction” from her record.
Continue reading “Sonia Sotomayor Resigns From Female-Only Club”
Gentleman assume your couches! Happy Father’s Day to all of the Turley bloggers.
A New York mother in Queens “cured” her daughter in a religious ceremony by burning the six-year-old daughter Frantzcia Saintil and leaving her scarred for life. The mother, Marie Lauradin, 29, was charged with assault and endangering a child this week.
Continue reading “New York Mother “Cures” Daughter in Religious Ceremony By Burning Her”
Maria Barbu, 17, has died in Brasov, Romania after she tried to Twitter while soaking in a tub.
Continue reading “Death by Twitter: Teenage Girl Electrocuted To Death While Twittering”
There has been a steading criminalization of bad conduct in the United States, as discussed in earlier columns. We can add the New York subways push to force people to give up their seats to the elderly and disabled — or face a potential 10 day jail term.
Continue reading “Be Polite or Else: New York to Enforce Criminal Penalties on Yielding Seats on the Subway”
A new Japanese study indicates that being chubby is the key to the long life — a finding with direct implications for the continuation of the Turley blog for decades to come. in the meantime, the oldest man in the world, Henry Allingham, has explained that the key to his long life is heaving drinking and womanizing.
Continue reading “The Rubens Plan: Being Chubby and Horny Cited As Keys to Long Life”
The now imprisoned U.S. District Court Samuel B. Kent has been openly bilking the government for salary and benefits by refusing to resign. His lawyer even acknowledged that his promise to resign in a year was due to his calculation that the Congress could not move any faster toward a Senate trial. It was a curious legal strategy since it virtually dared the Congress to expedite the matter, which it did. Kent has now been impeached in a fast track proceeding.
Continue reading “Judge Kent Impeached in Expedited Process”
An unnamed Denver police officer has been suspended after allegedly brandishing his weapon at a McDonald’s when his order took too long.
Continue reading “UnHappy Meal: Officer Accused of Pulling Gun When McDonald’s Order Took Too Long”