Washington, D.C. Judge John Bayly Jr. had accepted a reprimand and apologized for detaining a public defender, Liyah Brown, after she refused to stop talking in his court. Continue reading “D.C. Judge Sanctioned Over Jailing Talkative Public Defender”
Category: Courts
In yet another police abuse story, two California Highway Patrol officers were found guilty of using excessive force and violating the constitutional rights of 72-year-old Jack Nolan in 2006. What is remarkable is that after a jury found in his favor and issued a very reasonable $75,000 award, the judge reduced its to medical bills alone. Such judicial intervention is precisely why we lack of deterrent for certain forms of government abuses. Continue reading “California Highway Patrol Officers Found Guilty of Abusing 72-Year-Old But Judge Rescinds Most Damages”
The Supreme Court overwhelmingly threw out the murder conviction of Allen Synder due to race-based challenges in a case marred by prosecutorial abuse by Jim Williams and the failure of Judge Kernan “Skip” Hand to maintain a fair trial. Continue reading “Supreme Court Tosses Out Louisiana Murder Conviction Due to Racial Bias in Jury Selection”
At oral argument today, at least five justices appeared to favor the recognition of an individual right to gun ownership under the Second Amendment. Justice Kennedy and possibly Justice Breyer could join the right side of the Court in upholding the lower Court. As the audio recording below shows, the appeal of this case was probably a legal blunder given the predictable response from this Court. Continue reading “Oral Argument Appears to Favor Individual Right to Gun Ownership”
Securities trader Stephen Chang could well create new law with his lawsuit in New York. There are copious cases on medical malpractice, legal malpractice, but now he would like to create a law of stripper malpractice after lap dancer negligently swiveled and hit him in the face with the heel of her shoe. This is only the latest addition to a growing number of cases in the area of stripper jurisprudence. Continue reading “Negligent Lap Dance: Man Sues Over Injurious Lap Dance”
The Supreme Court has accepted a case that will explore the first amendment protections of certain types of profanity uttered on the air by Bono, Cher and Nicole Richie. The question is whether the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) can punish broadcasters for “fleeting expletives” by such celebrities. Continue reading “Bono, Cher, and the Supremes: Supreme Court Takes Profanity Case”
The Supreme Court today will hear arguments in District of Columbia v. Heller, No. 07-290. The lower court decision in Parker v. District of Columbia, 478 F.3d 370 (D.C. Cir. 2007) contained strong majority and dissenting opinions on the question of whether there is an individual right to gun ownership. The odds favor gun owners for the first time in securing a decision that clearly establishes an individual right. Their case is helped along by a bizarre appearance of Vice President Dick Cheney opposing positions of his own administration before the Court. Continue reading “Supreme Court Hears Second Amendment Case As Cheney Opposes His Own Administration on the Question”
Richard “Dickie” Scruggs has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bribe a judge — a plea that will likely send him to jail and certainly end his controversial but storied career of the “King of Torts.” While another lawyer from his firm also pleaded guilty, his son Zach is still scheduled to go to trial. Continue reading ““Dickie” Scruggs Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Bribe Judge”
A very disturbing series of allegations have been made against the Albany police involving abusive cavity searches, including one alleged performance in public. Continue reading “Albany Police Charged with Series of Abusive Cavity Searches”
Insanity cases continue trouble the courts and counsel from Andrea Yates to Colin Fergusan to the on-going controversy over John Wayne Hinckley Jr. This prior column explores the issue. Continue reading “The Insanity Defense and the Limits of Legal Reason”
Harold J. Stewart may be a high school dropout, but he is no fool –despite that fact that he had himself for a lawyer in a first-degree murder case. Stewart not only was acquitted of all charges, but the pro se defendant had previously rejected an agreement that his defense attorney supported for a second-degree murder plea. Continue reading “No Fool I: High School Dropout Represents Himself and Beats Murder Charge”
In the latest rebuke of U.S. District Judge Manuel Real, the Ninth Circuit has again reversed a sentence by the judge viewed as too lenient and too little justified — in this case, the sentencing of ex-producer Jospeh Medawar. Continue reading “The Real Deal: Ninth Circuit Reverses Sentencing of Hollywood Producer Medawar”
Judge Thomas E. Stringer Sr., who sits on the 2nd District Court of Appeals in Florida is facing allegations that he helped a stripper hide over $300,000 from creditors. Stringer admits a relationship but denies a direct role in the concealment of money to help Christy Yamanaka, a New York City stripper. Stringer’s controversy is not unique on the bench. Continue reading “Florida Appellate Judge Accused of Helping Stripper Shield Funds”