A Kansas man, Scott Roeder, has been arrested for the murder of Dr. George Tiller (left), 67, who was shot while serving as an usher at his Wichita church Sunday morning. Tiller was one of the few U.S. doctors performing late-term abortions in the country and had previously survived a 1993 shooting outside of his clinic when he was shot in both arms. I discussed this case on this segment of Rachel Maddow Show.
Continue reading “Police Arrest Alleged Killer of Dr. George Tiller”
With the world still talking about UAE Crown Prince Sheik Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan and is torture videos, another royal family has been accused of torture and abuses. Teenage model Manohara Odelia Pinot was only 16 when she was married to Tengku Temenggong Muhammad Fakhry, a prince of Malaysia’s Kelantan State. While in Singapore, she was able to escape with the help of police and tell an incredible story of being drugged, tortured, and confined by the family.
Continue reading “Gilded Cage: Malaysian Royal Family Accused of Drugging and Torturing Princess”
The United Nations has released a new report on human rights that has found the record of the United states to be “deplorable.” With the continuing refusal of the Obama Administration to investigate war crimes and to support the Bush policies in court, we have lost an opportunity to show the country has committed itself to change these policies and demand accountability for those who implemented them.
Continue reading “United Nations: U.S. Human Rights Record “Deplorable” — Including the Continuing Failure to Investigate Torture By the Obama Administration”
This week saw the demise of a landmark case in the area of constitutional criminal procedure: Michigan v. Jackson. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court rolled back on the protection of defendants that guaranteed that they had the advice of counsel before speaking with police at critical stages of a prosecution. In Montejo v. Louisiana (07-1529), Justice Antonin Scalia said that the protection was not worth the loss of confessions and only caused confusion. The Obama Administration supported the rollback on protections for criminal defendants and argued for Michigan v. Jackson to be overturned.
Continue reading “Supreme Court Overturns Landmark Case Michigan v. Jackson — With The Support of the Obama Administration”
Saudi Arabia has added to its macabre medieval tradition with what it called a “crucifixion” — the public display of a beheaded killed, Ahmed Al-Shamlani Al-Anzi. [Update: They did it again in 2013]
Continue reading “Saudi Arabia Beheads Killer and Then Displays His Body in “Crucifixion””
Philippe Padieu, who was described by his own lawyer as a “modern-day Casanova,” has been sentenced by a Texas jury to 45 years in prison for knowingly inflicting six women with the AIDS virus.
Continue reading “Casanova in a Can: Texas Man Gets 45 Years for Inflicting Six Women with AIDS”
Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has issued a stinging rebuke to former Vice President Dick Cheney — saying that undisclosed memos do not support his claim that torture works and save lives.
Continue reading “Levin: Cheney Lied About Torture’s Success”
An Oklahoma jury will be asked to decided whether pharmacist Jerome Ersland, 57, is a hero or a murderer. A video camera captured Ersland pumping rounds into an unconscious and unarmed teenager who tried to rob his store on May 19th.
Continue reading “Oklahoma Pharmacist Charged With Murder for Coup de Grâce Killing of Robber”
There is another controversy over police tasers leading to a death. Robert Mitchell, 16, died after being hit with a 50,000 volt taser shock after he ran from a traffic stop and allegedly resisted arrest. Mitchell had a learning disability and according to his family was merely scared.
Continue reading “Police Tase and Kill 16-Year-Old Boy After He Runs From Traffic Stop”
A New York police officer has been tragically killed by a fellow officer late last night. New York Police Department Officer Omar Edwards, 25, was shot twice by another officer who was chasing a man that he believed was trying to break into his car. He mistook Edwards for the suspect and shot him.
Continue reading “New York Police Officer Killed By Fellow Officer Pursuing Suspected Car Thief”
Yonkers police officer Wayne Simoes, 39, has been acquitted by a jury, which reviewed this videotape of Simoes body slamming Irma Marquez, 44, face first into the floor — breaking her jaw and knocking her unconscious at a restaurant.
Continue reading “Yonkers Police Officer Acquitted in Body Slam Incident Caught on Video”
Earlier, we discussed the story involving a Chinese man who was upset with a man holding up traffic by threatening to jump from a bridge. This video of the incident has been found.
Continue reading “Video: Chinese Motorist Tosses Man Threatening to Jump From Bridge”
In torts, we have seen a steady line of cases related to the abuse or mishandling of corpses. However, this Indiana case is off the charts. Rev. Reginald Burrell and his parishioners from Northlake Church of Christ went to their newly purchased building only to find four bodies abandoned from 2006.
Continue reading “Funeral Home Operator Accused of Abandoning Four Bodies in Building Since 2006”
Chicago Police Officer Richard Bolling was charged in a hit and run that killed a 13-year-old Trenton Booker who was riding his bicycle. In such cases, standard procedures calls for a breathalyzer as soon as possible. However, Bolling’s colleagues gave him four hours and, when they administered the test, he registered 0.079 — miraculously just under the 0.08 limit.
What happen when you hold a trial and the police are the ones who take the Fifth? That question was answered by Cook County Circuit Judge Clayton Crane who ordered a new trial for Gangster Disciple member Cortez Brown, who alleged that he was forced to confess during beatings in custody.