Category: Criminal law

Duterte Tells Soldiers To Shoot Female Rebels In Their Genitals

rodrigo_duterte_and_laotian_president_bounnhang_vorachith_croppedPhilippine President Rodrigo Duterte has shocked the world with his blood-soaked reign including his  orders to police to murder drug suspects and his bragging about his own murders.  Thousands of suspected drug dealers have been killed under Duterte.  Duterte has mocked those who object to the extrajudicial murders, including teenagers found dead.  Now Duterte has found a way to shock the world again after telling soldiers to  shoot female rebels in their genitals.   Many of us were alarmed by President Donald Trump’s praise of Duterte as “a good man” and praising his crackdown on drugs.  Duterte however shows no ability to control himself any more than his son (who has been implicated in drugs and corruption) or his henchman  . . . or his mouth. However, this not just some clown in office. Duterte is actively encouraging extrajudicial murders as a policy of this close allied nation.

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In The Case Of The FISA Memos, Transparency Is National Security

downloadBelow is my column on the ongoing controversy over the majority and minority memos from the House Intelligence Committee. President Donald Trump has sent the Democratic memo — which is much longer and detailed — back to the Committee for revisions. He accused of the Democrats of intentionally loading up the memos with classified information to argue that the White House was withholding embarrassing information.  This column below argues for disclosure of not just as much of these memos as possible but underlying material.

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Minnesota Car Thief Steals Running Car . . . Then Calls Owner To Help In Restarting It

 

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“I Love This Sh*t”: Tennessee Sheriff Boasts On Tape After Ordering Deputies To Shoot Driver In Car Chase

 

download-8A Tennessee widow is suing White County Sheriff Oddie Shoupe after the disclosure of a body camera recording in which Shoupe ordered the shooting of her husband so not to “tear up” the cars of his deputies.  Michael Dial was unarmed and moving at only around 50 miles an hour in his truck (which was pulling a trailer).  Shoupe’s orders and comments on the tape are highly disturbing.

 

 

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Duterte Government Destroys Dozens of Luxury Cars In Photo Op

rodrigo_duterte_and_laotian_president_bounnhang_vorachith_croppedThe Philippines is viewed as having the most persistent poverty in Southeast Asia.  Schools are underfunded and social programs spotty in many areas.  For that reason, it is maddening to see the government of President Rodrigo Duterte pull a gratuitous publicity stunt by crushing two dozen valuable classic and luxury cars worth over $1.2 million.  Rather than sell the cars and fund schools or hospitals, the Duterte officials stages a show in which a bulldozer destroyed the cars to send a message against tax evasion.

 

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North Carolina Files Incest Charges After Father Allegedly Has Child With With Own Daughter

1517766152917North Carolina prosecutors have filed a relatively rare incest prosecution.  According to  WNCN-TV, Steven Pladl, 42, of Knightdale, and Katie Pladl, 20, were arrested last week for an incestuous relationship that produced a child. It is truly disturbing and disgusting account, which includes the knowledge of two younger children.

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The Voice From The “Grave”: How The FBI and Democrats Over-Played The Classification Card On The Nunes Memo

downloadBelow is my column in the Hill newspaper on the controversy over the four-page memo continues to simmer in Washington.  The memo will not change the course of the Mueller investigation.  It may lead however to new investigations. Indeed, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has referred the matter to internal investigators while members have called for a new special counsel.  There remains considerable questions over representations on both sides in the dispute. For example, various Democrats have publicly stated that Deputy Director Andrew McCabe did not say that, absent the dossier, the FBI would probably not have received approval of its FISA application.  What is clear is that someone is lying to the American people.  Indeed, as the column below discusses, the public was already misled on the classified content of the memo.
Here is the column:

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Oxford Professor Charged With Two Rapes In France

imagesWe recently discussed the arrest of a Northwestern professor and Oxford official in a murder in Chicago.  Now a prominent Oxford professor of contemporary Islamic studies has been arrested in France after two women accused him of brutal sexual assaults.  Tariq Ramadan, 55, is a Swiss academic who is also the grandson of Hassan al-Banna (founder  of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood movement). He denies the charges stemming from alleged rapes in two separate hotel rooms. One of the rapes is charged as a sexual assault on a vulnerable person because the woman was disabled.  Both rapes allegedly occurred during academic conferences.

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House Intelligence Committee Releases Full Memo Alleging Serious Breaches By FBI In Russian Investigation

HouseofRepSealI will be discussing the memo today in a column in the Hill as well as in the segment with Tucker Carlson.   I fail to see the “grave” classified information that would put the national security at risk.  Indeed, my column addresses the disconnect between the objections made by the FBI and Democratic members and the actual memo. The use of classification laws to prevent disclosure of embarrassing information is itself an abuse of federal law and standards.

The Republicans may have undermined their case by building up this memo as a smoking gun document. Portrayals seems to make this memo the virtual combination of the Pentagon Papers and the Zimmerman telegram. After all of the build up, anything short of a depiction of Hillary Clinton forcing a judge to sign a secret warrant at gunpoint would disappoint most readers. However, there is plenty in this memo that should deeply concern people.

Civil libertarians have complained for years about the tactical use of classification authority by the federal agencies.  This seems a rare and important example of that problem. As to the specific factual representations, they raise clearly troubling questions that need to be addressed on the failure to disclosure information to the FISA court and the alleged heavy reliance on this dossier.

Below is the full memo:

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Report: Wray Opposes Release of Nunes Memo

440px-Chris_Wray_official_photoAccording to Bloomberg, FBI Director Christopher Wray told the White House he opposes the release of controversial four-page memo from the House Intelligence Committee.  What is notable about the report is that the objection is allegedly due to what Wray views as a false and inaccurate narrative. However, that should not be a reason alone to classify and withhold a document under Rule X.

 

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Stormy Daniels Issues New Denial Of An Affair With Trump . . . Then Suggests The Signature Is A Forgery

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© Glenn Francis, http://www.PacificProDigital.com

The controversy surrounding porn star Stormy Daniels deepened yesterday.   Stephanie Clifford (AKA Stormy Daniels) was reported to have finally and clearly denied that she had an affair with President Donald Trump.  A statement was released under her signature with the help of counsel.  However, in her interview with late night host Jimmy Kimmel, she seemed to suggest that it was not her signature. The coy denials and suggestions of Daniels in interviews is getting quite old.  However, her interview left the impression that that someone faked her signature, a possible crime.  In addition, if she did not have an affair with Trump, she could be liable for defamation but there are some interesting legal twists.

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Pennsylvania Lawyer Arrested In Bizarre Crime Spree

Nichole-Collins-620x620Attorney Nichole Collins has been suspended by the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania after she was accused of breaking into her firm, stealing credit cards from fellow employees, and vandalizing equipment.  She is facing charges that include burglary, forgery, access device fraud and theft by unlawful taking.  It is remarkable that the Board views this as a suspension case as opposed to a disbarment case, but it could seek a more permanent action against Collins.  Making this all the more awkward: she is married to Deputy District Attorney Joel Hogentogler.

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Res ipsa loquitur – The thing itself speaks