Category: Criminal law

Happy Holidays!

images8Best wishes to everyone celebrating Christmas and Hanukkah. Our kids get to double dip on both holidays in a play to spread our bets between the two religions of the parents. We have just finished placing the last present under the tree in Chicago. We can now look forward to three hours of sleep before the C-Day invasion. As my gift to you, I have linked a truly inspirational holiday video: Jingle Bells played on microwave ovens below.
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Family Sues After Police Arrest and Rough Up 12-Year-Old Girl as a Prostitute Outside of Her Texas Home

thumb_police_brutalityPolice in Galveston, Texas are being sued for allegedly arresting a 12-year-old Dymond Larae Milburn outside of her home as a prostitute in 2006. The girl did not realize that the plainclothes officers were police and fought back as she screamed for her father inside the house. She was reportedly beaten by the officers and ended up with sprained wrist, two black eyes, a bloody nose, and blood in an ear. Weeks later, the police arrested her for resisting arrest.
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Driving Miss Daisy: California Doctor Leaves Country After Using Patient’s Fat as Fuel for His Cars

300px-oil_wellCalifornia investigators are interested in speaking with Dr. Craig Alan Bittner. Bittner has an interesting way of “saving the planet”: he used that fat that he removed from his patients in liposuction to fuel his two SUVs. His M.I.P. (Miles to the Patient) was great until officials notified his lawyer that it happens to be a crime.
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Naughty List: California Man Arrested for Flashing Gang Symbols on Santa’s Lap

99237No Noel for Uriel.

Uriel Oliva, 18, was arrested early has been arrested for a curious probation violation: flashing gang symbols while sitting on Santa’s lap. The picture was spotted by his probation officer on a keychain during a probation check. It is unclear if St. Nick is an unindicted co-conspirator, but Oliva is charged with three misdemeanor counts for violating court orders.

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Not-So-Brigthon: City Makes It A Crime To Be Annoying

thumb_policeman_cartoonThere appears to be no lawyers living in Brighton, Michigan or within telephone range of the city council. The city elders have made it a crime for anyone to commit acts that “seriously annoy another person and that serve no legitimate purpose.” Putting aside the vagueness and overbreadth violations, there is the restriction on travel by Paris Hilton, Rosie O’Donnell, and the other annual recipients of the most annoying people.

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Iraqi Judge: No Abuse Probe In Case of Shoe Thrower

image4668248gWhile the family of Iraqi journalist of Muntazer al-Zaidi (or al-Zeidi) (including a brother who visited him) have alleged obvious signs of abuse and torture, investigating judge Dhiya al-Kenani has refused to allow an investigation into the matter — saying that such accounts are completely baseless. The problem has been the curious refusal of authorities to allow anyone to see al-Zaidi for many days and the decision to cancel an appearance in court shortly after his arrest. Then there are the accounts of witnesses who say that they heard him screaming after being taken away by Iraqi security.

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Appreciating Valentines: Georgia Judge and Police Officers to be Re-Trained After Muslim Woman Jailed for Refusing to Remove Scarf

image_8086106It appears that neither judges nor police officers in Douglasville, Georgia have heard of the use of a scarf for religious purposes or, more likely, didn’t care about the religious practice. Lisa Valentine was arrested after she was ordered to remove the scarf, or hijab. Valentine, who goes by the Muslim name Miedah, refused and tried to leave the courthouse when she was barred by officers who took her to appear before Judge Keith Rollins who appears to have a little judgment as training as a jurist. He jailed her for 10 days.

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Happy Anniversary: Iran Raids Leading Human Rights Organization

250px-flag_of_iransvgThe Iranian regime celebrated the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in true Iranian fashion: they shutdown the respected Center for Defenders of Human Rights in Tehran. The group was planned a celebration of the Universal Declaration when the police raided their office and charged it with such unspeakable crimes as “publishing statements, writing letters to international organizations, and holding press conferences.”

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Ruling: Amish Man Loses Religious Challenge to Septic Tank

am_fam_plowing_mbAn interesting decision by an Ohio Municipal Court was just posted in State of Ohio v. Bontrager, (OH Munic. Ct., June 24, 2008). The court explored a free exercise challenge by Adam Bontrager who refused to install a septic tank because the use of electricity would violate his Amish beliefs. In the end, sewage treatment trumped free exercise.

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Mr. Goodbar: Attorney Arrested for Giving Client Candy in Court

180px-twix_openedAttorney Damon Rossi, 38, was arrested last week for a curious crime: giving candy to his client in a Prescott, Arizona courtroom. Rossi had asked if he could give his client the candy and was told no. Seeing that his client was hungry, Rossi gave it to him anyway, asking “what are you going to do, arrest me?” The answer came the next day when he was arrested at his home.

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Planned Parenthood Suspends Two Staffers While Prosecutors Explore Possible Criminal Charges in Video Controversy

video cameraPlanned Parenthood of Indiana is reeling from the disclosure of an undercover video showing a counselor telling a woman posing as a 13-year-old girl that she doesn’t care about the age of the man who impregnated her — a violation of state law. The video below was shot by an anti-abortion group called Live Action.

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Baked Alaskan: Levi Johnston’s Mother Arrested on Drug Charges

02_levi_lglSarah Palin’s soon-to-be in-law, Sherry Johnston, has been arrested on drug charges in Wasilla, Alaska after what is described as a long investigation. Her son, Levi Johnston, is having a baby with Bristol Palin and their impromptu marriage became an issue during the campaign. Politically, this will certainly take minds of the teenage pregnancy.

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Witness: Police Asked Four Months Ago To Search Caylee Anthony Site

0_61_071708_cayleeanthonyIn a shocking disclosure, the meter reader who found the remains believed to be Caylee Anthony, 2, has stated that he actually called the police four months ago to direct them to the site. He says that he called at least three times and a childhood friend of Casey Anthony also says that she told police to search that area because the children was known to play there.

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