We have for years been following the rising number of blasphemy prosecutions not only in the Muslim world but, even more worrisome, in the West. Now, an Egyptian court has added a new outrage in sentencing a 17-year-old Christian boy to three years in jail for publishing cartoons on Facebook deemed mocking of Islam and the Prophet Mohammad. It is the latest example of the abuses of Sharia law and the danger of intermingling religion and government.
Category: Criminal law
NBC has apologized after being criticized for an editing of the tape of George Zimmerman’s 911 call — an editing that made his comments sound more incriminating and racist. The editing was substantial and the network has said that it is investigating the matter, which constitutes a serious journalist ethical question.
Continue reading “NBC Apologizes For Editing Zimmerman Tape”
We have discussed our share of car chase chases on this blog — often debating the wisdom of high-speed chases or issues of liability. This chase by Czech officers is a stand out. They are traveling at 60 mph (100 km/h) in a chase with a guy on a bike. That’s right, a guy is moving at 60 mph and racing a cruiser on the highway.
Continue reading “[Not] Breaking Away: Police Capture Bicyclist After High-Speed Chase”
As I have discussed previously, I often speak about the cultural defense with a group of experts around the country, including judge Delissa Ridgway. This defense is used in both criminal and civil cases to argue that an individual did not have true intent to commit a crime or should have a mitigated sentence due to a cultural motivation or belief. There are limits however as a father discovered last week in Rome, Italy.
Tongues are wagging over a confrontation between CNN’s Piers Morgan and MSNBC’s Toure (a journalist who appears to go by just one name like Cher or the Artist Formerly Known As Prince). At issue was whether Morgan should have been tougher on George Zimmerman’s brother in an interview or conversely whether journalists like Toure have discarded their neutrality and objective distance in declaring Zimmerman a murderer. Putting aside the childish rhetoric, it is a serious question of whether journalists are crossing the line into advocacy in declaring the guilt of someone like Zimmerman. The controversy has also raised long-standing uncertainty of the role of anchors and journalists in actively supporting a claim, cause or movement.
Continue reading “Toure de Force: CNN and MSNBC Personalities Clash Over Coverage Of Martin Killing”
By Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
The chair emeritus for the American Board of Recorded Evidence, Tom Owen, and Ed Primeau, a Michigan-based audio engineer and forensics expert, have independently concluded that the furtive pleas for help clearly heard on the 911 tapes are not George Zimmerman’s. Both acknowledged experts used voice enhancing software, but different techniques, to rate the probability of the voice being Zimmerman’s at no more than 48%. A 90% match is considered scientifically reliable.
Continue reading “Audio Experts: Cries For “Help” On 911 Tapes Not Zimmerman’s”
Submitted by: Mike Spindell, Guest Blogger
A recurring meme used in American society by leaders and politicians is that certain acts must be done to “Defend Our Freedoms”. The use of this meme has occurred repeatedly in our history as a justification for certain governmental actions, particularly in defense of war. In some cases like our Revolution, or World War II its usage has been right on point, in others like Viet Nam, Iraq and Afghanistan it’s been used as untruthful propaganda. On national and local levels the meme has also had a mixed history. It has been used to persecute radicals, as a States Rights justification of “Jim Crow” and post 9/11 to enact “security” legislation that many of us think actually diminishes freedom in the name of saving it. Continue reading “Defending Our Freedoms?”
In Minnesota, Gabrielle Tywon Allen, 20, is being held on a rather odd crime — using puppies as a weapon. The Anoka County woman grabbed three 1-week-old pit bull puppies to throw at her boyfriend David Peter Remme, 25. Remme was arrested on suspicion of assault after breaking her nose and she was arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty.
Continue reading “Minnesota Woman Arrested For Using Puppies As Weapons”
In Florida, two Coral Springs police officers — Nicole Stasnek and Derek Fernandes — have been accused of false statements against a woman after an audio recording surfaced contradicting their claims about a roadside arrest of Susan Mait, 60.
I just saw this video from 2006 where escaped inmate Richard McNair convinced a Louisiana police officer that he is just out for a jog. I love the officer’s statement to McNair that when he first spotted him he thought “how lucky can I be?” Apparently not that lucky.
While our troops are being gunned down by Afghan allies and the President of Afghanistan is calling Americans “demons,” the Administration remains committed to spending billions in that country and keeping U.S. troops in harm’s way. The solution? Have U.S. troops serve as “Guardian Angels” to protect other U.S. troops so our allies do not kill them while they sleep.
Last night, the police released this video showing George Zimmerman shortly after he killed an unarmed Florida teen. I discussed the legal significance of the video on Countdown last night.
Continue reading “The Immaculate Assault? Police Video Shows Zimmerman Without Obvious Injuries”
An elderly Florida couple in Sanford, Florida is living through a nightmare after director Spike Lee sent their address to his 250,000 followers on Twitter — wrongly stating that this was the address of George Zimmerman, the man who killed an unarmed black teen, Trayvon Martin, in Florida. It was a uniquely stupid act by Lee and invited the very type of vigilante response that Zimmerman has been accused of. The question is whether there is liability for such negligence as David McClain, 72, and his wife Elaine, 70, live in fear of threats and packages arriving at their home.
It appears that this DUI suspect had the right but not the inclination to remain silent. Instead, he offers a full performance of Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. I must say that the selection of the song was pure genius.
Continue reading “Little High, Little Low: DUI Suspect Performs Bohemian Rhapsody In Custody”
While the parents of Trayvon Martin are saying that he is wearing a hoodie in heaven, Geraldo Rivera went on the air to denounce hoodies as evil garments causing the death of teenagers across the country.
Continue reading “Hoodie and the Blowfish: Geraldo Calls For Crackdown on Killer Hoodies”