Bobby Brown, a professional NBA player with the Houston Rockets, has secured a position for himself in the Moron Hall of Fame a recent trip to China after he decided to improve the Great Wall of China by first drawing his name on the stone and then bragging about it. In fairness, it was just in chalk but it was still a uniquely stupid and disrespectful act.
Category: Criminal law
Well, if you have a good memory, we previously discussed the rather curious case of Judge O. Joseph Boeckmann of Cross County, Arkansas . . .
Continue reading “Can You Guess What This Person Was Charged With?”
I have previously written that recent disclosures over immunity deals with Clinton aides has seriously undermined the credibility of the FBI investigation into the email scandal and raises legitimate questions over the role of top ranking Justice Department officials in the closing of the investigation without criminal charges. Now a far more serious allegation has surfaced with the release of a FBI “302” that states that State Department Undersecretary for Management Patrick Kennedy proposed a “quid pro quo” to convince the FBI to strip the classification on an email from Hillary Clinton’s server. The FBI agent reported the encounter as an effort to “influence” the FBI in return to giving the Bureau long-sought agent placements overseas. Such an offer is more than a standard inter-agency “horse trade.” If the agent’s account is accurate, it was an effort to influence a criminal investigation to protect a high ranking politician and, additionally, an effort to alter a key piece of evidence. The fact that such an effort would be simply brushed aside by the FBI is shocking in itself and again raises questions over Director James Comey’s pledge to pursue any possible charges with independence and vigor. The FBI and State Department, as discussed below, have insisted that there was nothing untoward in the discussions and there is a difference in factual accounts. That is all the more reason for congressional oversight and investigation in my opinion.
There was an interesting segment on CNN last week where CNN anchor Chris Cuomo reminds viewers for it is illegal for them to “possess” Wikileaks material and that, as a result, they will have to rely on the media to tell them what is in these documents. The legal assertion is dubious, but the political implications are even more concerning. Polls show that many voters view the media as biased and this is a particularly strong view among supporters of Donald Trump who view CNN and other networks openly supporting Clinton or attacking Trump. More importantly, the mainstream media has reported relatively little from the Wikileaks material and has not delved deeply into their implications, including embarrassing emails showing reporters coordinating with the Clinton campaign and supposedly “neutral” media figures like Donna Brazile, formerly with CNN, allegedly slipping advance question material to Hillary Clinton. The credibility of the media is at an all-time low and most voters hardly feel comfortable with this material being reported second-hand or interpreted by the mainstream media. So is it really illegal for voters to have this material?
Continue reading “CNN: It Is Illegal For Voters To Possess Wikileaks Material”
Kwaniqua Glenn, 25, made a poor choice of uber drivers and then the even worse choice of videotaping the trip and posting it on YouTube (below).
Continue reading “Can You Guess What This Person Was Charged With?”
We have been following the investigation of the murder of Florida State Professor Dan Markel – a case that has cast suspicions on the family of his ex-wife and fellow professor Wendi Adelson. Much of this suspicion has been drawn to Adelson’s brother, Charlie Adelson. Charlie Adelson was reportedly romantically involved with Katherine Magbanua, who just happened to be the mother of two children with Sigfredo Garcia, one of the two accused hit men (with Luis Rivera). Magbanua was arrested recently and then Rivera has cut a deal to cooperate in a guilty plea. Now Rivera has reportedly given evidence that further implicates the Adelson family. Rivera pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and told police that the motive for the murder for hire was because “the lady wants her kids back.” In a truly chilling added element, Rivera said that he saw Wendi Adelson before killing her husband and that she stared directly at him and Garcia.
The University of California, Irvine Black Student Union is demanding a ban on the UC Irvine Police Department. The protest featured protesters with signs reading “Blue Lives Don’t Matter” and “F–k the Police.” It was an interesting protest after a professor at the University of Virginia was forced into a leave of absence after calling Black Lives Matter as racist organization akin to the KKK. In this case, however, equally caustic remarks against the police were not viewed as matters for discipline. I have favored free speech protections in all of these circumstances. My concern is that there is a double standard being applied based on the content of such speech.
Continue reading “University of California at Irvine Students Push For Ban On UC Police From Campus”
Ok, it is not really what he was charged with as opposed to . . .
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There is an interesting ruling out of Illinois this week. Juan Rivera served 20 years for a 1992 murder that he did not commit. While in prison, he married Melissa Sanders-Rivera. The marriage in 2000 lasted 14 years. However, he divorced his wife in 2014 — two years after his release. After his award of $20 million for his long incarceration, Melissa Sanders-Rivera moved to get her share of the money as his former spouse. The Illinois Court of Appeals ruled that the wife could claim award as marital property.
Bethlehem patrolman Glenn C. Woolard, 35, raised a curious defense recently after he was pulled over after a spotted him fondling himself while driving and “waiving it around.” After being caught literally with his pants down, Woolard did not deny the actions but rather insisted that he was doing it as a responsible driver to stay awake. Most of us just pull over to a Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts, but Woolard apparently requires something more carnal than caffeinated.
By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor.
A long-overdue measure to compensate persons convicted of violating Germany’s 19th century anti-homosexuality law–since repealed–is to finally arrive. The German government set aside a reported thirty-million euros to be distributed among potentially an estimated fifty-thousand men convicted of homosexuality. The award stems for convictions spanning seventy years since the destruction of the Nazi Government.
Continue reading “German Government Set To Pay Compensation To Gays Convicted Of Violating Anti-homosexuality Laws”
By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor.
Another Law Enforcement Officer suffered a senseless death at the hands of a career criminal. This time, as is usually the case, a caring, officer who established himself within his community and by simply doing his job, died far too early.
Sergeant Steve Owen, who worked for the Los Angeles County Sheriff for twenty-nine years, was ambushed and assassinated after responding to a burglary complaint.
His fellow community members shared much grief over the loss of a well liked deputy who served many and fostered remarkable attention to those in need–above expectations and for the benefit of many.
Continue reading “In Memoriam: Sergeant Steve Owen, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office”
We have been following the investigation of the murder of Florida State Professor Dan Markel – a case that has cast suspicions on the family of his ex-wife and fellow professor Wendi Adelson. Much of this suspicion has been drawn to Adelson’s brother, Charlie Adelson. Charlie Adelson was reportedly romantically involved with Katherine Magbanua, who just happened to be the mother of two children with Sigfredo Garcia, one of the two accused hit men (with Luis Rivera). Now, Magbanua has been arrested — drawing the case even closer to the Adelson family. UPDATE: Rivera has cut a deal to cooperate in a guilty plea. That deal appears connected to this arrest and will likely increase the pressure on Magbanua to cut her own deal.
Continue reading “Police Arrest Third Suspect In The Murder Of Professor Dan Markel [UPDATED]”
The FBI investigation into the Clinton email scandal seems to grow more questionable by the day. As I discussed earlier, the five immunity deals handed out by the Justice Department were, in my view, largely unnecessary and undermined the development of any criminal case. Now, House investigators have learned that Justice Department officials, in addition to their immunity deals, cut a “side agreement” with Cheryl Mills and Heather Samuelson for agents to destroy their laptops after searching their hard drives for evidence. With Congress seeking the information, the side deal clearly would obstruct that investigation and the details of the side agreement make little sense if the FBI were pursuing any and all evidence of criminal conduct.
The only hint is that he certainly does have a leg to stand on in court . . . Continue reading “Can You Guess What This Person Was Charged With?”