Category: Criminal law

Felonious Fillings: Alleged Burglar Caught With Bag of Teeth in Seattle

Shane Carlson, 26, has a long record of burglaries and office break-ins, but police say that he has recently turned to a more specialized form of theft: teeth. Perhaps responding to Glenn Beck’s continual hawking of gold as an investment, Carlson has been allegedly stealing teeth and filings for the gold from dental offices. He was captured with a bag of teeth in Seattle.
Continue reading “Felonious Fillings: Alleged Burglar Caught With Bag of Teeth in Seattle”

Plaintiffs Fight Effort to Limit Reforms in World Bank Protest Trial

Last night, the Plaintiffs in the World Bank/IMF protest case filed our opposition to the summary judgment motion filed by the District in the World Bank/IMF protest case. The District is trying to use a proposed settlement in another case to bar us from seeking more comprehensive reforms (or equitable relief) at the trial in September. As lead co-counsel in the Chang case (with my colleague Daniel Schwartz of Bryan Cave), I am limited in what I can say on the case. However, to reduce calls to my office, I am posting the filings below.
Continue reading “Plaintiffs Fight Effort to Limit Reforms in World Bank Protest Trial”

Got Melamine? Chinese Officials Accused of Covering Up Tainted Milk

The Chinese government is again being accused of not acting swiftly enough to shutdown another company producing tainted food. The most recent scandal follows the 2008 case where the government allowed melamine-tainted infant formula to sicken 300,000 babies (and causing death for six babies). The same chemical is involved in the shutting down of the Shanghai Panda company, which produces condensed milk and milk powder.
Continue reading “Got Melamine? Chinese Officials Accused of Covering Up Tainted Milk”

Nine Lies: Man Arrested After Killing and Skinning Cat for Memorial

In Florida, Jason Alkire, 26, is accused of killing his cat and then skinning it in an effort to create a memorial. Police insist that the cat did not have nine lives, but Alkire allegedly had almost as many lies to explain why he was caught with a pocket knife skinning a house cat.
Continue reading “Nine Lies: Man Arrested After Killing and Skinning Cat for Memorial”

Officer Rolls Jeep and is Allegedly Found With Open Liquor Bottle While Smelling of Alcohol . . . But Is Not Charged After She Refuses Sobriety Test and Other Officers Deny Smelling Alcohol

Questions are being raised about the handling of a Bartlett, Tennessee police officer who was found off-duty in an accident where she rolled over her jeep, which contained an open liquor bottle. EMTs reportedly smelled alcohol and Officer Teresa Brignole refused a sobriety test. However, the officers at the scene supported her in saying that they did not smell alcohol and she was not charged with DUI.
Continue reading “Officer Rolls Jeep and is Allegedly Found With Open Liquor Bottle While Smelling of Alcohol . . . But Is Not Charged After She Refuses Sobriety Test and Other Officers Deny Smelling Alcohol”

Plaintiffs in World Bank Protest Case File for Forensic Expert

This week, the Plaintiffs in the World Bank/IMF protest case filed a notice with the Court on the appointment of a forensic expert to investigate the destruction of evidence in the case. As lead counsel in one of the two cases (with my colleague Daniel Schwartz of Bryan Cave), I am limited in what I can say on the case. However, to reduce calls to my office, I am posting the filings below.
Continue reading “Plaintiffs in World Bank Protest Case File for Forensic Expert”

Chicago Police Considers Dropping Entrance Exam To Increase the Number of Minority Officers

A police officer in the Chicago Police Department sent this story to me. It appears that the CPD is moving oward dropping the entrance exam for officers to add more minority officers and avoid legal battles over applicants rejected on the basis of the exam.
Continue reading “Chicago Police Considers Dropping Entrance Exam To Increase the Number of Minority Officers”

Please Check Your Carry-On: Slovakian Police Plant Explosives and Contraband on Unwitting Airline Passengers . . . Leading to the Arrest of Innocent Irishman

There is a bizarre case out of Ireland where a 49-year-old man was arrested after being found with contraband and an explosive at the airport. It turns out that the Slovakian police planted the explosives and contraband on passengers at the Bratislava Airport, but did not bother to tell the Irish authorities.
Continue reading “Please Check Your Carry-On: Slovakian Police Plant Explosives and Contraband on Unwitting Airline Passengers . . . Leading to the Arrest of Innocent Irishman”

France To Make Psychological Abuse in Marriages a Crime … With Electronic Monitoring

There is an interesting debate occurring in France over a law that will make the country the first to criminalize “psychological violence” within marriage. A spouse who engages in psychological abuse will be criminally charged and potentially forced to wear “electronic tagging.”

Continue reading “France To Make Psychological Abuse in Marriages a Crime … With Electronic Monitoring”

Tennessee Judge Reprimanded and Sued For Policy of Forced Drug Tests Based on Courtroom “Hunches”

Tennessee General Sessions Judge Durwood Moore has a curious view of the fourth amendment and the doctrine of judicial notice. Moore is the subject of a judicial ethics complaint and lawsuit after he had an observer in his courtroom arrested and forced to do a urinalysis. Moore insisted that this is simply his routine practice when he has “a hunch.”

Continue reading “Tennessee Judge Reprimanded and Sued For Policy of Forced Drug Tests Based on Courtroom “Hunches””

Iranian Court Orders Economics Journalist Jailed for Over Seven Years and Flogged

AFP is reporting another outrage out of the Iranian legal system where a journalist Bahman Ahmadi Amoui has been sentenced to over seven years in jail and a flogging with 34 lashes. Amoui was a critic of Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s economic policies.

Continue reading “Iranian Court Orders Economics Journalist Jailed for Over Seven Years and Flogged”

“Tase The Baby”: Florida Man Allegedly Uses Baby As Human Shield

We have another contestant for Worst Person in the World. Jorge Garcia, 39, in Florida was confronted by police for acting strangely and told to get out of his car. When he refused an officer pulled out his stun gun. That is when Garcia allegedly used an infant as a human shield. He reportedly told the officer “Tase the Baby.’

Continue reading ““Tase The Baby”: Florida Man Allegedly Uses Baby As Human Shield”