The trial of Saudi prince Saud Abdulaziz bin Nasser al Saud for the murder of a servant in London took an interesting turn when the prosecution noted to the jury that, putting aside the murder allegation, Saud, 34, would have faced execution in the Kingdom for being gay. Saud allegedly murdered Bandar Abdulaziz, 32, (left) after repeated sexual assaults.
Continue reading “English Prosecutors Raise Sharia Law in Murder Trial of Saudi Prince”
Category: Courts
A lawsuit against the Church of Scientology has now pulled in two unlikely litigants: a state and a federal judge. Pinellas Florida Judge Robert E. Beach has filed a motion in federal court contesting an order from U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday enjoining him from imposing planned sanctions on lawyer Ken Dandar, who is suing the Church. The motion raises some interesting questions of jurisdiction and ethics.
While the Obama Administration has announced an appeal in Massachusetts to reverse the victory with regard to same sex marriage, U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips in Riverside, California has upped the ante by imposing a nationwide injunction on the policy of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell– a move also opposed by the Obama Administration. The Administration is now likely to move to reverse this victory in California — further angering those “lethargic” liberals that the Administration has been pushing to work for the Democrats.
Continue reading “Federal Judge Imposes Nationwide Injunction of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”
The Obama administration will appeal the Massachusetts ruling in favor of same sex marriage. The Justice Department will defend the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA. This action will further alienate civil libertarians and liberals — particularly at a time when the Administration is trying to preserve the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy in a California case. Now on both coasts, the Obama Administration is fighting to continue discrimination against gays and lesbians.
Continue reading “Obama Administration Announces Appeal To Reverse Same Sex Marriage Victory”
In Pittsburgh, Allegheny County Judge Joseph Williams has caused a controversy by rejecting a plea bargain on the ground that it is the type of deal that “only goes to white boys.” The plea agreement involved three months probation for a man accused of fighting with police during a traffic stop.
Continue reading “Pittsburgh Judge Rejects Plea Agreement As Something That Prosecutor Only Gives “To White Boys””
Mississippi Chancery Judge Talmadge Littlejohn means it when he asks everyone to stand and say the pledge of allegiance. When attorney Danny Lampley of Oxford stood but did not recite, Littlejohn threw him in jail.
Littlejohn was just honored by the Mississippi bar for 50 years in public service.
Continue reading “Mississippi Lawyer Jailed By Court For Not Reciting Pledge of Allegiance”
As has been the practice on this blog, I wanted to disclose my representation of the Brown family, who are the subjects of the new series “Sister Wives” on TLC. As in the past, any comments on the case by me will be limited. However, various people have suggested the reported criminal investigation as a subject for this blog and I wanted to explain why I have not posted anything on the controversy.
Continue reading “Representation in “Sister Wives” Case”
Senior U.S. District Judge Jack T. Camp Jr. has been arrested on charges that he purchased drugs on several occasions from an Atlanta club stripper with whom he was having a sexual relationship.
Continue reading “Federal Judge Arrested For Alleged Drug Use With Relationship With Stripper”
With the completion of the trial portion of the Porteous impeachment, the parties are required to submit the proposed findings of fact as established in testimony. Below are the material facts in the trial in a filing that we submitted to the Senate.
Continue reading “THE PORTEOUS IMPEACHMENT: THE FACTS”
Civil libertarians enjoyed a major victory yesterday against Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) with the ruling in the case of Maj. Margaret Witt — ordering her reinstatement despite the fact that she is a lesbian. This important victory, however, was tempered by the news that the Obama Administration is seeking to limit the earlier blockbuster ruling that found DADT unconstitutional. The Administration had the option of not seeking such a change (an option taken by Governor Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Brown in the Proposition 8 case) but decided to try to gut the national impact of the court’s order.
Continue reading “Judge Orders Lesbian Nurse Reinstated While Obama Administration Fights To Limit Earlier Ruling Finding DADT Unconstitutional”
For civil libertarians, the decision by President Obama to bar the prosecution of Bush officials for the torture program was always a flagrant choice of politics over principle. Now a poll ratifies that decision. A poll commissioned by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs found that Americans are accepting torture in greater numbers. The study also shows a decrease in support for Israel in any military conflict and two-thirds saying that they would like the U.S. to be neutral in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Continue reading “Poll: Americans More Supportive of Torture — Though Still a Minority”
The Senate trial for United States District Court Judge Thomas Porteous has been suspended for the the Jewish holiday. It will resume on Tuesday.
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The fourth day of the Senate trial for United States District Court Judge Thomas Porteous starts today. Yesterday, we called Timmy Porteous, son of Judge Porteous and one of the judges who pleaded guilty in the Wrinkled Robe investigation. The latter was a House witness who was dropped at the end of their case in chief.
Continue reading “PORTEOUS IMPEACHMENT TRIAL — DAY FOUR”
The third day of the Senate trial for United States District Court Judge Thomas Porteous starts today. The witnesses include a former judge and former prosecutor. We are likely to start our case on Wednesday . . .
Continue reading “PORTEOUS IMPEACHMENT TRIAL — DAY THREE”
The second day of the Senate trial for United States District Court Judge Thomas Porteous starts today. The witness list include Lori and Louis Marcotte . . .
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