Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge Sharon Keller has been the source of well-earned national contempt since she ordered the doors of the court clerk’s office to prevent a last-minute appeal in a death row row — an appeal that should have been granted but was denied and Michael Richard executed. Now, she admits to violating court procedures and has announced written rules to prevent other judges from doing the same thing. Presumably, the written rules will prevent others from abandoning fundamental standards of due process and decency, Continue reading “Judge Admits to Violating “Unwritten” Rules By Closing Clerk’s Office to Prevent Death Row Final Appeal; Complaints Filed Against Judge Sharon Keller in Texas”
Category: Constitutional Law
In what is billed as the Potty Mouth case, a judge has ruled that Dawn Herb won’t have to spend time in jail or pay a fine after she was overheard swearing over an overflowing toilet. Continue reading “Court Rules that Constitution Protects Swearing at One’s Toilet”
After Democrats rescued Mukasey from a showdown on torture and saved his confirmation, they are now reaping the harvest of their work: Mukasey has refused to share any information on the Administration’s investigation of itself. Thus, the man who stated under oath that he did not know what waterboarding was or whether it was torture will now investigate whether evidence of that crime was destroyed. Continue reading “Mukasey Refuses to Share Information with Congress on the Torture Tapes”
There is a bizarre fight brewing in Florida between a lawyer and judge over their respective alleged misconduct. Lawyer Sean Conway faces discipline for attacking Judge Cheryl Alemán is facing possible discipline before the Judicial Qualifications Commission. At issue are not just standards of professional and judicial conduct, but the first amendment. Continue reading “Florida Lawyer May Be Disbarred for Criticizing Judge in Blog — While the Judge Stands Trial for Judicial Misconduct”
Federal trial judge Samuel Kent is facing possible criminal charges and impeachment after accusations of sexual harassment and assault. This week, media reported that he is under investigation by the Justice Department. Continue reading “Federal Judge Sam Kent Under Investigation for Sexual Assault”
The House of Representatives has passed an intelligence bill that would prohibit the use of cruel techniques of interrogations, including waterboarding, mock executions and other harsh interrogation methods. It is a welcomed move by many, but the concern is that is suggests that waterboarding was not unlawful before its passage. In the meantime, there is little real effort in Congress to deal with the President’s ordering of the crime of torture — and the obvious implications of such impeachable crimes. Continue reading “House Passes Bill Prohibiting Cruel Interrogation Practices, Including Waterboarding”
The Bush Administration lost a major terrorism case in Florida in the alleged al-Qaida plot to blow up the Sears Tower in Chicago. The case follows a familiar pattern with the Bush Justice Department: a huge press conference on a major bust only to have the real evidence undermine its claims. Continue reading “Jury Acquits One and Hangs on the Other Six in Sears Bombing Case”
President Bush may prove to be to the law of contempt what President Johnson proved to be to the law of interstate commerce: he could create lasting precedent for the holding of officials in criminal contempt. With calls for contempt and prosecution swirling over the torture of suspects and destruction of CIA tapes, Bush officials have now been formally charged with contempt by Senate and House Judiciary Committees. Continue reading “Senate Judiciary Holds Rove, Bolton in Contempt While House Judiciary Does the Same for Bolton and Miers”
For those distressed by the sectarian turn of American politics, it just got worse. Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney are now in a tussle over whether Mormons believe Jesus is the brother of Satan. Continue reading “Latest GOP Campaign Issue: Is Jesus the Brother of Satan?”
Across the country, men are challenging specials for women at bars,athletic clubs, and other establishments as discrimination based on gender. They have a point and feminists may now be in a tough position: choosing between supporting popularspecials and opposing gender discrimination. Nevertheless, these cases pose some very novel questions. Continue reading “Ladies Nights and Specials Being Challenged Across Country as Gender Discrimination”
In an extraordinary interview, former CIA officer John Kiriakou has come forward to publicly admit that he led the raid, which captured the al Qaeda operative Abu Zubaydah, and witnesses the waterboarding of the suspect. He further admits that waterboarding is torture — a fact already established by U.S. courts. Continue reading “CIA Interrogator Admits Publicly that Torture was Used on Suspects”
Below is today’s column in Roll Call on the potential basis for criminal prosecution in the destruction of CIA interrogation tapes. Continue reading “CIA Interrogation Tapes: “Bad” is Hardly the Word — Call it Criminal”
In Utah, Gov. Mike Huckabee told Southern Baptist pastors that his election would “take this Nation back for Christ” and revealed his deeply held view that the government needed to turn to faith-based institutions to solve its problems. The comments reveal that, if elected, Huckabee, an ordained Southern Baptist minister, would likely expand President Bush’s controversial faith-based initiatives. Continue reading “Huckabee Called for Faithful to “Take This Nation Back for Christ””
While the President insists that he has “no recollection” of being told about the plan to destroy CIA interrogation tapes, the White House admitted late Friday that former White House Counsel Harriet Miers knew. Continue reading “White House Knew of Plan to Destroy CIA Interrogation Tapes”
As noted earlier, Germany is moving toward a ban of Scientology. Now, both federal and state interior ministers have joined the effort to ban Scientology as a danger to the country and its citizens as a cult and criminal enterprise. Continue reading “Germany Takes Major Step Toward Ban of Scientology”