Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik has been sent to jail to await his corruption trial next week. I am not sure which is worse, the jailing or the view of Judge Stephen Robinson of the defendant, who he described as “a toxic combination of self-minded focus and arrogance.” That is not a particularly promising start to a criminal trial.
Continue reading “Former New York Police Chief Bernard Kerik Jailed”
Category: Criminal law
In light of our recent posting on the man arrested for making coffee in the nude in his own home, this case out of Grand Forks is interesting. Nicole Altendorf, 37, is accused of watching pornography in her own home but allowing the images and noises to be seen and heard from Lake Agassiz Elementary School.
Continue reading “North Dakota Woman Arrested For Broadcasting Porn Near School”
Former Mobile County Circuit Judge Herman is offering a defense in his criminal case that may strike some as more appropriate for the Marquis de Sade than an Alabama jurist. Accused of having inmates brought to his chamber for sex and spanking, Herman insists that he was trying to rehabilitate and educate the men.
Continue reading “The Marquis de Sade Defense: Former Judge Claims To Have Been Schooling Inmates Allegedly Raped and Spanked in His Chambers”
While (like today) we often chronicle cases of police abuse or controversies, we do have on occasion the opportunity to recognize extraordinary police work and commendable restraint. Such is the case with the apprehension of George Rogers, 36, who attacked Philadelphia police with a samurai sword covered with swastikas and a skull. Police did not simply shoot him and call it justifiable force. He was instead subdued and is now charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and weapons offenses.
Continue reading “The Last Samurai: Man Attacks Police With Swastika-Covered Samurai Sword and Survives”
Police in Peoria, Arizona believe that they have another attempted honor killing. Faleh Hassan Almaleki, 48, ran over his 20-year-old daughter, Noor Faleh Almaleki, and her friend Amal Edan Khalaf because he allegedly viewed her as “too Westernized.” She has life threatening injuries and he is on the lam.
A Former Focus on the Family employee in Colorado Springs, Juan Ovalle, appears a bit too focused on the kinder. He has been sentenced to five years probation for attempting to lure an underage teen into having sex with him. He founded Spanish Christian Audio in 2001 to help Christian organizations with their audio needs.
Continue reading “Too Much Focus, Too Little Family: Focus on the Family Employee Pleads Guilty to Attempted Sexual Assault on a Child”
This video out of British Columbia is instructive on the use of gratuitous force. Most abuse video that we see often involves serious injuries that lead to litigation. However, most cases of abuse are small acts of physical harm that rarely result in complaints let alone lawsuits. This arrest occurred in Abbotsford, B.C., on October 9th.
Continue reading “Video: British Columbia Police Officer Stomps and Kicks Suspect Without Cause”
Eric Williamson, a 29-year-old Springfield man has been charged in Fairfax County with the crime of making coffee in the nude — in his own home. A neighbor called the police after she walked by Williamson’s house with her seven-year-old son and saw him making espresso exposo.
Continue reading “Expresso Machoato: Virginia Man Charged After Making Coffee in the Nude”
Former Bush Attorney General Michael Mukasey now appears to be blaming our legal system for the 9-11 attacks as opposed to documented failures by the FBI and the failure of the Bush Administration to heed direct warnings of an imminent attack. In an op-ed piece this week, Mukasey puts the blame squarely on the shoulders of our rights-infested legal system.
Continue reading “Mukasey: Our Laws Brought About 9-11 Attacks”
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems to be morphing into George W. Bush. Faced with findings of a respected former war crimes prosecutor that Israel may have committed war crimes in its Gaza offensive, the prime minister instructed his government to seek changes to the international laws of war to retroactively justify any actions taken in Gaza.
Continue reading “Israel To Seek Change in Law of War to Block War Crimes Investigation”
It is often said that the government would take the gold out of your teeth if allowed. Well, the Metro Police of Nashville is doing precisely that — putting the gem encrusted “grills” of a drug dealer out for bids.
Continue reading “If Arrested, Keep Your Mouth Shut: Nashville Police Auction Off Drug Dealer’s Gold Teeth”
Former Contra Costa County sex crimes prosecutor Michael Gressett has been accused of a sex crime in the raping of a colleague. The California lawyer is free on bail after being indicted on the charges, which he denies through counsel. While Deputy District Attorney, Gressett has run three times for district attorney.
Continue reading “California Sex Crimes Prosecutor Accused of Raping Another Prosecutor”
The Norfolk Constabulary has a curious notion of discipline for its officers. Acting Specials Chief Inspector Dean Saxton, 30, is accused of first causing a ruckus in a bar (or “public house”) and then returning a few days later to destroy the evidence of the controversy. The punishment for using official authority to destroy evidence of misconduct? Five days suspension.
Prosecutors in Minneapolis have a fascinating case involving assisted suicide and free speech. Nurse William Melchert-Dinkel, 47, is accused of using Internet chat rooms to convince people to commit suicide, giving them step-by-step instructions on how to kill themselves — preferably so he could watch. At least two people are believed to have fed Melchert-Dinkel’s fetish with their deaths: Nadia Kajouji, 18, and Mark Drybrough, 32 (shown here).
Continue reading “Suicidal Speech: Minnesota Case Raises Difficult Questions Over Assisted Suicide and Free Speech”
US Airways is facing a major fine over a wide range of safety and maintenance violations on its airplanes. The one that caught my eye was a plane in December 2007 that returned to Denver with a low oil-pressure warning. Mechanics appear to have lost the caps for the oil sump so they just stuffed towels in the openings.
Continue reading “Throwing in the Towel: FAA Fines US Airways $5.4 Million for Such Violations As Using A Towel Instead of an Oil Cap in Engine”