In Winnipeg, Canada, prosecutors were preparing for a trial for rape when they had a curious series of statements from the victim in the form of love letters to the accused in prison. The woman initially denied sending any letters but eventually admitted that she missed the accused and was pregnant with his child.
Continue reading “Rape Charges Dropped After “Victim” Sends Love Letters to Prison”
China is again ordering a rash of arrests and resignations after the latest product scandal. In this case, diary producers sold milk containing the industrial chemical melamine, which killed four child and sickened nearly 53,000 others. This is not just another case of rampant Chinese pollution entering the food system. Melamine is sometimes put into milk to mimic high-protein additives.
Continue reading “Latest Chinese Product Scandal: Over 50,000 Children Poisoned by Tainted Milk”
In Billings, Montana, children know of Goldilocks and the Three Bears but Tracy Mullins, 47, gave a more modern version when he broke into a home, ate food from the kitchen, messed up the home, and then fell asleep on a child’s bed — only to be discovered by the family in the morning.
Continue reading “A Cell Just Right: Goldilocks Burglar Arrested in Montana”
Court Drug Coordinator Emily Cayton, of Scappoose, Oregon has been arrest for allegedly leaking information to drug dealers. Cayton is accused to tipping off dealers about warrants secured by the police. Obviously, such information could have resulted in fatalities for officers carrying out such warrants.
Continue reading “Court Drug Coordinator Arrested as Mole for Drug Dealers”
In Jewett City, Connecticut, police are dealing with an all-too-common situation. Two-year-old Wyatt Matteau shot himself in the eye when he played with his father’s gun — left in the open and loaded. His mother Rebecca Matteau warned him before she left the room not to play with the gun because it could cause “bad boo boos.”
Continue reading “Arrested Parents Warned 2-Year-Old Before Shooting That Loaded Gun Could Cause “Bad Boo Boos””
In Tuscon, Arizona, the son of Democratic Florida Congressman Allen Boyd has been arrested for human smuggling of five immigrants, including a 6-year-old girl. The Border Police also found a gun and drugs in Boyd’s truck. John Boyd is now facing federal charges.
Continue reading “Son of Rep. Allen Boyd Arrested for Smuggling Illegal Immigrants”
Natalie Walters is looking at a two-day trial and potentially six months in jail. Her crime? She poured a soda on the counter of a cafeteria at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Boise, Idaho.
U.S. Attorney Tom Moss is pursuing her conviction with remarkable vigor.
Continue reading “In the Can: Bush Administration Prosecutes Woman for Spilling Diet Coke”
A case out of Eagle County, Colorado presents a novel question in both criminal law and torts. Jacob Weiss, 19, is charged with manslaughter because he allegedly handed a loaded gun to his suicidal roommate.
Weiss shared an apartment with the 18-year-old, who had discussed suicide. Weiss then gave him a loaded shotgun. Both had been drinking.
Under Colorado law, it is a Class 4 felony to assist in a suicide.
One interesting question is whether, if this can be manslaughter, it can be considered an intentional tort or negligence. Obviously, there are defenses of consent, assumption of the risk, and contributory negligence — depending on the type of tort alleged. However, particularly if the victim (who had not been identified) was viewed as disturbed or lacking capacity at the time, the family could seek civil recovery.
For the full story, click here.
Diane Cockrell, 52, has pleaded no contest to three criminal counts related to the deaths of two neighbors (including a 91-year-old man) killed by her bulldogs. The sentencing in Michigan occurs as the most famous mauling case of Diane Whipple continues in California. These cases are often brought both criminally and civilly by victims or their survivors.
Continue reading “Dog Owner Sentenced in Dog Mauling Case”
Former Mets minor leaguer and sometime actor Joseph Petcka is on trial for killing his girlfriend’s 8-year-old tabby, Norman. It is a good example of such cases where both criminal and civil charges can be brought. His former girlfriend Sports Illustrated reporter Lisa Altobelli insists that it was intentional while Petcka insists that it was an accident.
Bello Masaba, a Nigerian man, is defending himself before a Sharia court after his arrest for having 86 wives and 170 children. Islamic law allows only four wives. Worse yet, he now has 86 lawyers — one for each wife — as his attorneys defend him from punishment and a rash of divorces.
Continue reading “Nigerian Man Arrested with 86 Wives — and 86 Lawyers”
This may not be what the McCain/Palin campaign meant by carrying on the Bush legacy, but Gov. Sarah Palin has refused to comply with subpoenas in the investigation of her firing of Alaska’s former public safety commissioner. Now, her Attorney General has refused to comply with the lawful legislative subpoenas. That sounds vaguely familiar.
Continue reading “Half-Baked Alaska: State Attorney General Cites Loyalty to Palin in Refusing Lawful Supoenas”
In the video below, Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin credits and praises a Kenyan Minister named Thomas Muthee with helping her to achieve the Alaskan governorship through prayer. It turns out the Muthee also hunts down witches and makes Rev. John Hagee look positively normal.
Riviera Beach, Florida is facing a crisis. The city’s new law to criminalize “saggy” or baggy pants has been struck down as unconstitutional. Palm Beach Circuit Judge Paul Moyle appears to believe that the Constitution protects people from having their clothing style choices dictated by politicians. What a rube in a robe. Who will not protect the good people of Riviera Beach from the clothing choices of others?
Continue reading “Florida Judge Finds Baggy Pant Law Unconstitutional”
The city of Petah Tikva in Israel has created a type of canine CSI shop to identify unlawfully popping dogs from their DNA — to track down and punish their owners.
Continue reading “CSI Petah Tikva: Forensic Experts Use DNA to Track Down Canine Criminals”