Amnesty International has issued a report accusing Hamas to a campaign of abduction, torture and wanton executions of Palestinians during last year’s conflict in the Gaza Strip. The report identifies roughly two dozen Palestinians who were shot and killed by Hamas and dozens of others who were arrested and tortured.
Continue reading “Amnesty International Accuses Hamas of War Crimes”
D.C. police are searching for this man who was shown on a video (below) assaulted a 63-year-old man and knocking him out — and then robbing him of $1.
Continue reading “Police Search For Suspect Who Assaulted 63-Year-Old Man and Stole $1”
For those of us who have been vocal critics of the flagrant and open corruption of FIFA, there is finally some good news. Swiss authorities swooped into a hotel Wednesday and arrested some of the top soccer officers on corruption charges in the United States. The police notably went to one of the most expensive hotels in the world where these officials were treating themselves to another gold-plated over-the-top meeting with views of the Alps and Lake Zurich. They were led from the five-star hotel in an early morning raid, but many will be disappointed that one official remained in his luxury hotel room untouched: Sepp Blatter (right), FIFA’s longtime president who has ruled over one of the most corrupt organizations in sports for years. While the slogan of FIFA is “For the Game. For the World,” it has been run for the benefit of its leadership for decades. This prosecution, not FIFA, can be properly embraced as “For the Game. For the World.” Continue reading ““For the Game, For the World”: Swiss Police Raid FIFA Meeting And Arrest Senior Officials in Corruption Investigation”
There is an interesting lawsuit coming out of Waco, Texas in the aftermath of shootings between motorcycle gangs at the Twin Peaks restaurant where nine people were killed and 18 wounded Sunday. The nearby Don Carlos Mexican Restaurant is now suing Twin Peaks for the loss of business — blaming the chain for ignoring police requests not to host the event and pandering to motorcycle gangs.
Continue reading “Don Carlos Sues Twin Peaks Over Bike Melee In Waco”
The Chicago Bears has always prided itself on valuing character in its players — often passing on talented players with off-field conduct problems. For that reason, many (myself included) were not thrilled with the decision to take defensive end Ray McDonald on a one year contract after he was dumped by the 49ers. He was desperate to find a team after an arrest on suspicion of felony domestic violence. He swore that he would use the opportunity with the Bears to redeem himself. That chance ended today with a release by the Bears within hours of McDonald being arrested in California on charges of domestic violence and child endangerment.
Continue reading “Bears Cut Ray McDonald After New Arrest for Domestic Violence”
We have previously discussed the sentencing difference between the United States and the United Kingdom and other countries. While we clearly have a problem with lengthening sentences in this country, there are cases abroad that shock the conscience in the imposition of relatively light sentences. The difference is evident in the Australian case of Alfio Anthony Granata, 47, who pleaded guilty to nine counts of rape and charges of theft, threats to kill and intentionally causing serious injury that left his victim with 54 injuries. He also kept the 21-year-old Dutch backpacker for months while threatening to kill her. For all of those crimes, Granata was given only 17 years. He could be released in 13 years.
I am going to intrude upon our weekend bloggers to post a story on the aftermath of the arrest of Daron Dylon Wint, 47, for the savage murder of f Savvas Savopoulos, 46, his wife Amy Savopoulos, 47, their 10-year-old son, Philip, and housekeeper Veralicia Figueroa, 57 in the family’s Northwest Washington home. According to CBS News, the five people arrested with Wint in two vehicles have been released without charge. Come again? Five people are found to be traveling with a fugitive sought by a dozen different police agencies and are found to have $10,000 cash in one of the vehicles. And they are released?
Continue reading “Five People Arrested With Wint Released Without Charge?”
Membership of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council (HRC) has always been a rogue’s gallery of some of the world’s most oppressive nations trying to obstruct its work or artificially rehabilitate their images. Now to add insult to countless human rights injuries, Saudi Arabia wants to head the HRC. That’s right. The country that will not allow any other religion to build a simple church or place of worship in the Kingdom. The country that executes people for apostasy for simply praying to the God of their choice. The country that imprisons and flogs women for driving, adultery, or people accused of sorcery. The country that is the greatest exporter of the extreme Sharia values that are stripping away rights in various countries. The country that cuts off the hands of thieves. The country that denies free speech and executes people in intersections for things like drug dealing. That country.
Continue reading “Saudi Arabia Moves To Take Over Top Spot On The U.N.’s Human Rights Council”
Marquette University has apparently dumped Susannah Bartlow, the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center director after the center celebrated the completion of a mural featuring convicted Assata Shakur who was convicted of an execution style killing of a New Jersey trooper in 1973. The mural was joint project of the Center and the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
Police have identified and have an arrest warrant for the man suspected in the gruesome murder of a family and their housekeeper in Washington, D.C. Police are seeking Daron Dylon Wint, 34, in the murder of Savvas Savopoulos, 46, his wife Amy Savopoulos, 47, their 10-year-old son, Philip, and housekeeper Veralicia Figueroa, 57 in the family’s Northwest Washington home. What is most striking about the story is that the lead came from the crust of a pizza ordered to the house during the family’s long ordeal in captivity before they were beaten to death. The DNA reportedly matched Wint who have a long criminal history.
Yes, it is time for another installment of “Things that Tick Me Off,” the category where I allow myself that chance to vent about something that is so annoying that I must vent to retain my sanity. One of the things highest on my list are vendors who fleece tourists as they try to enjoy their cities. Vendors know that many foreign tourists are unfamiliar with the exchange and the currency as well as the prices. One of those appears to be this lowlife Ahmed Mohammed who not only failed to post his prices (as required under municipal law) at this stand near Ground Zero but was charging some people $30 for a single hot dog. That is, until a local reporter caught up with him.
Continue reading “Things That Tick Me Off: Vendors Who Rip Off Tourists At Ground Zero”
We have previously discussed Saudi Arabia’s infamous “Chop Chop” square where the country’s medieval Sharia law is carried out for everything from apostasy to drug dealing to murder. The Kingdom has had a bumper crop of executions this year with as many beheadings already this year (85) than the entire 2014 period (87). The work appears to be exhausting their executioners so the Kingdom is hiring eight new executioners. While the Saudis insist that this is a humane form of execution approved by the Koran, the fine print on the advertisement is notable: no experience is needed for those who want to cut the heads off people in Chop Chop square or handle amputations under Sharia law.
There is a deeply disturbing case of Illinois where Josephine Bell, 71, is accused of killing her granddaughter’s cat and four kittens with a hammer to teach her grand kids a lesson for not cleaning their rooms. The case again raises the question of the proper punishment for cruelty to animals separate from the obvious abuse of this 13-year-old child.
There is an interesting scandal growing in Miami where more than ten police officers have been implicated in a fraud conspiracy to clear the bad debt records of individuals with the filing of false police report. At the center of the conspiracy, according to police, were Vanessa and Mario Perez who reportedly made more than $322,000 from the fraud. The officers allegedly received $200 to $250 per report to record identity theft — which the subjects could then show companies to disclaim debt. The officers also allegedly were able to use the system to clear the records of themselves and family members.
Continue reading “Police Officers Arrested In Miami In Sweeping Fraud Case”
Respectfully submitted by Lawrence E. Rafferty (rafflaw)-Weekend Contributor
The answer to the question posed in the title, in the state of Wisconsin, is $8 Million dollars. For those of us who think Judges are not and should not be politicians, the situation in Wisconsin is especially disturbing. However, Wisconsin is not alone in this dilemma. Thirty nine states elect their judges and the money flowing into those campaigns is increasing the concerns of special interests “purchasing” justice. Professor Turley has also commented in the past about the alarming amounts of money flowing into judicial elections.
In a recent United States Supreme Court decision, Chief Justice Roberts weighed in on money and politics in judicial elections. “Last week, the United States Supreme Court upheld a Florida judicial rule that prohibits candidates for election to state judgeships from personally soliciting money for their campaigns. ‘ “Judges are not politicians,” Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., wrote in the majority opinion in the 5-4 decision, “even when they come to the bench by way of the ballot.” He went on, “Simply put, Florida and most other States have concluded that the public may lack confidence in a judge’s ability to administer justice without fear or favor if he comes to office by asking for favors.” ‘ New Yorker Continue reading “What is the Cost to Purchase a State Supreme Court?”
