Category: Criminal law

Durham DA Drops Felony Charges Against Protesters Who Tore Down Confederate Statue

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We previously discussed the arrest of four protesters arrested for the destruction of a roughly century-old statue of a Confederate soldier in North Carolina.  The public, premeditated act was was carried out in front of news cameras in broad daylight.  Moreover, the arrested individuals seemed proud of the crime and various advocates called for all charges to be dropped against  Takiyah Thompson, 22, Dante Strobino, 35, Ngoc Loan Tran, 24, and Peter Gilbert, 39.  Indeed, faculty declared Thompson a hero for her vandalism and Political Science Professor Allan Cooper of North Carolina Central University called for Thompson to be given a scholarship.

Now, Durham District Attorney Roger Echols has dropped all felony charges against the eight protesters.

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“Jesus [Didn’t] Take The Wheel”: Tennessee Man Arrested For DUI After Letting Jesus Drive Him Home

 

mug-800x430Carrie Underwood achieved great success with her hit “Jesus Take The Wheel” (“Jesus, take the wheel; Take it from my hands; ‘Cause I can’t do this on my own; I’m letting go “) It didn’t quite work that way for Chad England, 33, who was arrested after flipping his car over five times — an accident preceded by his letting Jesus drive him home.

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The Mailman with the Maserati: Postal Worker Arrested With Dozens of Stolen Credit Cards

download-1It is not clear what should have tipped off authorities first: the fact that postman Naquan Wilson drove a Maserati or that he was called the “Sock Man” because he carried a stack of credit cards around in a sock at the mall. Whatever did it, Wilson, 28, was arrested and charged with stealing dozens of credit cards from the mail and using them to buy designer clothing and other luxury goods.  He was charged  along with girlfriend, 33-year-old Shantavia Davis, who is an NYPD schools safety officer.

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Trump: “You Fight Back, Oh, It’s Obstruction.”

donald_trump_president-elect_portrait_croppedPresident Donald Trump made an interesting comment yesterday that both highlighted how he got into this mess and, ironically, the best defense to get out of it.  Trump complained that “You fight back, oh, it’s obstruction.”  That sums up so much about the past controversy and where it might end.

 

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“I Love You, You Love Me”: Barney Actor Under Fire For “Tantric” Therapy Sessions

 

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Report: Trump Asked McCabe About Who He Voted For While Sessions Recently Pushed Wray To Fire Him [Updated]

donald_trump_president-elect_portrait_croppedMcCabeSeveral sources are being cited for a story this morning that President Donald Trump asked Andrew McCabe, then the acting Director of Federal Bureau of Investigation, who he had voted for in the presidential election.  If true, it would be another highly inappropriate question for a president to ask an FBI official.  Such questions undermine the apolitical status of our law enforcement officials. Indeed, for those concerned about
“Deep State” political bias, the last thing that we want is for officials to be actively questioned about their voting in elections — compromising the sanctity of the voting booth for all citizens.  In the meantime, media outlets are also reporting that Attorney General Jeff Sessions pushed FBI Director Christopher Wray to fire McCabe.  While the White House denies that Wray threatened to resign, such an effort would show a remarkably long learning curve for this Administration. Update: President Trump says that he does not recall asking McCabe who he voted for in the presidential election.

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Common Cause Files Two Complaints Charging That Trump’s $130,000 Payout To Porn Star Violated Federal Law

download-2The watchdog group Common Cause on filed a complaint on Monday with the Federal Election Commission and the Justice Department alleging that Donald Trump violated federal law with his secret payment of $130,000 to a porn star known as Stormy Daniels.   Daniels gave a long interview to In Touch magazine detailing a yearlong affair with Trump but later accepted the money and signed a statement denying such a sexual relationship.  Common Cause argues that the payment was “an unreported in-kind contribution to Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., and an unreported expenditure by the committee — because the funds were paid for the purpose of influencing the 2016 president general election — in violation of the campaign finance reporting requirements.”

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Comey To Teach Course On “Ethical Leadership”

440px-Comey-FBI-PortraitThere remains an intense debate over the legal and ethical implications of former FBI Director James Comey removing FBI memos and leaking the information to the press.  Despite serious allegations of unethical conduct, Comey has been chosen to teach a course on “ethical leadership” at William and Mary in the Fall.

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Happy Anniversary To Washington’s “Least Untruthful” Witness: Clapper To Avoid Perjury Prosecution In March

220px-James_R._Clapper_official_portraitBelow is an expanded version of my column that ran in USA Today on the approaching expiration of the statute of limitations for prosecuting former National Intelligence Director James Clapper for perjury.  This is a city that protects its own and Clapper is the Beltway equivalent of a made man.  People like Clapper do not get prosecuted.  We do not call them criminal; just complicated.

Here is the column:

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“God Tells Me I Gotta”: Texas Judge Tells A Jury To Acquit Defendant After A Communication From God

300px-god2-sistine_chapelJudge Jack Robison appears to be channeling a higher authority recently in Comal County, Texas.   Robison interrupted jurors during deliberations to inform the panel that God told him to acquit Gloria Romero-Perez of trafficking a teenage girl for sex.  It appears that divine judgment did not track well with the jury, which proceeded to find Perez guilty as charged.

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“Live Mas”, Drive Less: Florida Man Arrested For DUI After Pulling Into Bank Drive Thru and Ordering a Taco Bell Burrito

Taco_Bell_2016.svgThere is nothing so frustrating as pulling up to a Taco Bell only to have the drive thru person repeatedly refuse to take your order . . .  unless of course it is a bank.  That was the dilemma of Douglas Francisco, 28, who is accused of being drunk when he pulled into the Bank of America in Tampa and demanded a burrito.  If Francisco wants to fulfill the chain’s slogan of “Live Mas,” he might want to drive less.

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Maine Man Allegedly Avoids Sobriety Test By Repeating Punching Himself In The Face

 

 

 

2deb3cf9-6bf3-4115-93ec-5d588f800974-large16x9_FoggBrianThere are various techniques to evading sobriety tests from burping to vomiting to claiming medications.  Brian Fogg however had a more hands on approach.  According to police in Belfast, Maine, Fogg repeatedly punched himself in the face to force the officers to attend to his injuries rather than administer the breathalyzer.  It did not work.

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Lewandowski Refuses To Answer Post-Campaign Questions Before The House Intelligence Committee

 

The day after the dubious refusal of Steve Bannon to answer questions before the House Intelligence Committee, Corey Lewandowski refused to answer lawmakers’ questions after pledging to answer any and all questions.  Lewandowski said that he was not prepared to answer questions concerning the period following his campaign tenure.  That is not a recognized basis to refuse to answer congressional questions. It ranks with “my dog ate my notes” as a basis for remaining silent.  He can always answer questions by saying that he does not recall but the basis for refusing to answer is highly problematic.

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Leading Thai Scholar Arrested For Challenging The Myth Of The Famed “Elephant Battle”

440px-WatSuvandaramMuralWe have previously discussed the harsh limitations on free speech and free press in Thailand.  Now, a leader scholar,  Sulak Sivaraksa, 85, has been arrested for simply questioning the factual accuracy of the famed “elephant battle” held over 400 years ago.  He merely responded to questions from fellow academics by cautioning  “not to easily believe in things. Otherwise, you will fall prey to propaganda.”  For that, he was charged with “lèse-majesté,” or defaming the monarchy — a ludicrous charge that could bring a 15-year prison sentence.

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