Category: Criminal law

Mother: Yemeni Child Bride Bound and Raped By Husband Before Bleeding To Death

We recently saw another case of abuse of a child bride in the Middle East when Elham Assi, 13, bled to death in Yemen shortly after her arranged marriage. The girl’s mother, Nijma Ahmed, 50, says that when the girl refused her husband, he tied her up and raped her.
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This Too Shall Not Pass: Church Opposes New Law Lifting The Statute of Limitations for Abuse

The Connecticut Catholic bishops have issued a dire warning to the faithful that a proposal to lift the statute of limitations for victims of Church abuse to sue would threaten their very religion, putting “all Church institutions, including your parish, at risk,” .

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Pope Implicated in Another Church Abuse Case

Despite the efforts of the Vatican to deflect criticism away from Pope Benedict XVI on his involvement in child abuse scandals, reports continue to tie him to the past decisions. The most recent is the discovery of a 1985 letter with the signature of then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger resisting the defrocking of the Rev. Stephen Kiesle, a California priest with a long history of sexual molestation of children.
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Mom’s April Fool’s Joke Results in Son Being Arrested

Michael Kelly, 31, has an interesting defense to make to charges of felony speeding and other crimes in North Carolina: he was the victim of the world’s most stupid April Fool’s joke by his mother. Kelly took police on a 120 mile an hour crash after his mother told him that his 9-year-old son was missing. Now her son is looking at serious jail time. Ha, Ha, thump.
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Wisconsin District Attorney Threatens to Prosecute Any Schools Teaching Sex Ed

Juneau County District Attorney Scott Southworth has reportedly threatened to prosecute schools if they comply with new state sex-education educational directives. He has declared that such courses encourage minors to have sex.

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“The Tree of Life”: Church of the Universe Fights For Recognition of Smoking Pot as a Protected Religious Rite

The Ontario Superior Court is hearing an interesting religious claim this week from the Church of the Universe. The Church is claiming the need to smoke marijuana to commune with God.

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Don’t Feed The Bears (On Cable): Man Featured on Animal Planet Pleads Guilty To Feeding Wildlife

Charlie Vandergaw has discovered the perils of fame. Vandergaw was featured on Animal Planet in a segment called “Stranger Among Bears.” He has now pleaded guilty to eight counts of intentionally feeding game and given a suspended sentence and large fine.

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West Virginia Mine Involved in Deadly Blast is a Massey Subsidiary

The West Virginia coal mine that exploded this week and killed 25 workers has a less than pleasing legal back story. Upper Big Branch mine, operated by the Performance Coal Company, is a subsidiary of Massey Energy. That should ring a bell for lawyers and academics as the company owned by Don Blankenship, who was at the heart of the recent Supreme Court ruling in Caperton v. Massey — a case involving Blakenship’s alleged control of the West Virginia bench through massive campaign contributions.

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Six Teens Charged After Bullied Girl Hangs Herself

Three Massachusetts teenagers have pleaded not guilty in the bullying of a 15-year-old girl who committed suicide after what prosecutors call months of threats and harassment. Sean Mulveyhill, 17, (shown here) with the victim Phoebe Prince is one of those charged and reportedly had a brief relationship with Prince before turning against her. Also charged are Kayla Narey, 17, and Austin Renaud, 18. They are among six teens (also including Ashley Longe, Flannery Mullins and Sharon Chanon Velazquez) charged in the bullying of Prince that led to her hanging herself on Jan. 14.

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