Category: Criminal law

Academia, Bizarre, Criminal law, Science

Teacher Allegedly Burned Students With Tesla Coil, Sparking Controversy

By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor

tesla-coilThe mysterious ways of a familiar high school institution, the Tesla Coil, once again has conjured another spectacle. A Salem, Oregon high school teacher was charged with the shocking crime of Criminal Mistreatment after allegedly employing the coil to burn sweet nothings into the arms of students

After an investigation, Salem Police arrested Samuel Dufner for the alleged crime at South Salem High School.

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Criminal law, Society

Former Missouri College Student Found Guilty In HIV Exposure of Former Lovers

628x471There is a conviction in Missouri in a novel criminal case where a former Lindenwold University student Michael L. Johnson, 23, was found guilty of infecting another man with HIV and endangering four others while attending the college in suburban St. Louis. These cases are often difficult to establish given the question of what was known and what was disclosed in an otherwise consensual sexual encounter.

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Criminal law, Society

“It Felt Good”: Police Disclose That They Have An Alleged Confession By Woman In Kayak Murder Case

2835E7A600000578-3064520-image-a-21_1430503553009We have been discussing the strange murder mystery of Vincent Viafore and his fiance Angelika Graswald. The case appeared disturbingly circumstantial according to initial reports, particularly without a body. Now they have found the body and more importantly, the prosecutors revealed in court that they have what they are calling a confession. They quoted her as saying “It felt good knowing he would die” and that she admitted to tampering with his kayak to bring about his death. It was also revealed that she was the beneficiary of insurance policies for Viafore and had discussed after his death how she would spend the money.

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Academia, Criminal law, Society

West Virginia Family Sues Over Arrest Of Teenager For Wearing NRA Tee-Shirt To School

article-2312730-196c26ea000005dc-284_634x354We previously discussed the case of Jared Marcum, 14, who was suspended and arrested for wearing a t-shirt supporting the Second Amendment and the National Rifle Association. While many of us derided the arrest of a student (and the continuation of a trend toward criminalizing our schools), most people assumed that the police or prosecutors would immediately show a modicum of sense in refusing to bring the charges of disrupting the educational process and obstructing an officer. We were wrong but the charges were ultimately dismissed. Now, the family in West Virginia is suing.

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Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Religion, Society

Third Secular Writer Hacked To Death By Islamic Extremists In Bangladesh

Ananta-Bijoy-Das_3300494iWe have been covering the attacks on secular writers and bloggers by Islamic extremists in Bangladesh. Now a third blogger and secular writer has been murdered by Islamic extremists . The latest victim is Ananta Bijoy Das, a blogger who advocated secularism, was attacked by four masked assailants wielding machetes. The rise of Islamic extremism has alarmed the free speech community in Bangladesh, which sees increasing Islamic orthodoxy in society and intolerance for non-Islamic views.

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Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Media, Politics

NSA Now Claims DNI Director Clapper Merely Forgot About Massive Surveillance System Targeting Millions of Citizens

Robert-Litt220px-James_R._Clapper_official_portraitThe National Security Agency is still struggling to explain what many denounced as the uncharged act of perjury by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper in denying the existence of the secret NSA surveillance program targeting the communications of all Americans. If you recall, the first explanation by Clapper was that his denial was an intentional act to pick the “the least untruthful” statement to answer the question. Then, National Intelligence general counsel Robert Litt (left) insisted that Clapper “misunderstood” the question. Now, Litt is changing spins and saying that Clapper merely forgot about the massive surveillance system. It was not only massive but recently declared illegal, as some of us have long maintained. It is the latest chapter in America’s Animal Farm as average citizens are criminally charged with small discrepancies in statements to investigators while people like Clapper and David Petraeus and Sandy Berger are protected from serious repercussions for alleged criminal acts.

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Criminal law, International, Society

Spanish Authorities Find Eight Year Old Boy In Luggage At Border

smuggledboySpanish police were a bit surprised when they checked out the luggage of an Ivory Coast woman trying to come into the country from North Africa at a border crossing between Morocco and Spain. They were suspicious because the 19-year-old woman appeared nervous and decided to x-ray her bag. The 8-year-old boy, Abou, was described as in a “terrible state” when he was let out of the bag. It brings a chilling meaning to the old Samonsite slogan: “If you traveled the way your luggage does, would you look as good as Samsonite?”

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Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Religion

Four Teenagers and a Teacher Arrested For “insulting Islam” After Making Videotape Mocking ISIS

video_clip_253x338Egypt continues to descend toward a Sharia-based system with a new prosecution of four teenagers accused of “insulting Islam.”  The insult came in a video that the boys shot while on a trip with their teacher Gad Younan, 42 – a film that mocked ISIS.  While the boys were accused of insulting Islam, the brief video only showed them mocking ISIS beheadings.  One of the boys apparently mumbled an Islam prayer as part of the execution and that was enough to cause riots and demands for their executions.  The four teens and teacher are from the ancient Coptic community, a community targeted by Muslim extremists for harassment and killings.

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Criminal law, Environment, Society

Destiny’s Child: Police Search For Teenager Who Defaced Park Cliff To Snag A Date To The Prom

spraypaintI recently posted a blog column about the increasing appearance of graffiti in national and state parks — and the need to ramp up punishments to deter this defacing of our natural wonders and wilderness. The last story concerned Andre Saraiva, an internationally known graffiti artist, who “tagged” and bragged about his own defacing of nature. He spray painted a boulder at the Joshua Tree National Park. Now authorities are looking for a teen who spray painted a rock face in Idaho to impress a girl and get her to go with him to the school prom. It should not be too different to investigate this particular crime, but the question remains the punishment that should be meted out.

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Criminal law, Society

Delaware Police Officer Indicted In Assault On Suspect Captured on Videotape

Screen Shot 2015-05-07 at 7.15.30 PM There is an interesting case developing in the Dover Police Department where a video has been released that has resulted in the indictment of Officer Tom Webster for his actions during an arrest on August 24, 2013. The suspect appears to be obeying his commands. What is interesting is that a prior grand jury declined to indict Webster, but prosecutors then tried again with another grand jury and secured an indictment.

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Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Politics, Society

Thin Blue Line: Three Arrested For Allegedly Creating False Police Organization With Ties To The Templar Knights

picpart2There is an interesting case developing in California where police have arrested three people, including Brandon Kiel, 31 (left), an aide to California Attorney General (and Senate candidate) Kamala Harris. Kiel and Tonette Hayes, 56, and David Henry, 46, were arrested for allegedly operating an illegitimate “police department” that traces its origins to the Knights Templar. They claimed to be running a 3000 year old police organization founded by the Templar Knights with jurisdiction in 33 states and Mexico.

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Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Society

“Because I feel like arresting you”: Minneapolis Police Officer Threatens To Break Leg Of Suspect In Videotaped Abusive Stop

Screen Shot 2015-05-06 at 7.49.57 PMA Minneapolis police officer has been relieved of duty while his department investigates a profanity-laced video in an encounter with a man at a car stop. During the abusive confrontation, the officer threatens to break the legs of a suspect if he attempts to escape.

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Constitutional Law, Criminal law, International, Religion

Afghan Court Sentences Four To Death in Farkhunda Murder As Islamic Clerics Denounce The Verdict As Attack On Islam

thThere is a verdict in the horrific case that we discussed earlier involving the mob beating and burning of a woman named Farkhunda, 27. A judge has sentenced four of those responsible to death in Kabul. Eight other suspects received 16-year sentences. Eighteen others were found not guilty.

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Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Society, Torts

DEA Agents Who Arrested California Man On Minor Pot Charge and Then Left Him In Cell Without Light, Water, or Food For Days . . . Given Only Reprimands After Almost Killing Him

141px-DEA_badge_CThe Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is infamous for stacking charges on defendants and arresting individuals for seemingly minor possessions. However, when it comes to its own agents, there appears to be an endless level of leniency. In 2012, DEA carried out a raid on a home and arrested a group of young people who were smoking marijuana. One was Daniel Chong. Despite the minor violation, Chong was arrested and interrogated. He was told that he would be released but DEA agents simply forgot about him and left him in a cell for five days without food or water. At one point, as the 23-year-old cried and begged for help, someone with the DEA came in and turned off the light in his cell to leave him in the dark. He was given no food or water. Someone was charged, right? Someone was fired, right? No, the DEA has decided that a few reprimands and short suspensions is fine for starving and almost killing Chong.

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