Former Mobile, Alabama judge Herman Thomas has been arrested in a bizarre criminal case alleging that he used the local jail as a type of personal stable of victims for beatings and sexual abuse. His lawyer — who goes by the moniker Robert “Cowboy Bob” Clark — has charged racism targeting the county first black judge.
Continue reading “Alabama Judge Charged in Prisoner Abuse Case”
Prosecutors in Maryland appear to have cut a bizarre deal with a former religious cult member. Ria Ramkissoon, 22, agreed to plead guilty in the murder of her 1-year-old son, Javon Thompson, but, if he is resurrected, the deal is off.
Continue reading “The Lazarus Clause: Judge and Prosecutors Secure Plea From Deranged Mother With a Resurrection Clause”
There is a very interesting case out of Pennsylvania where U.S. District Judge James M. Munley granted a temporary injunction to prevent Wyoming County District Attorney George Skumanick Jr. (left) from charging three teen girls who appeared in seminude photographs traded by classmates. A common practice called “sexting.” It is extremely uncommon to see an injunction of a criminal charge.
Continue reading “Federal Court Enjoins Pennsylvania Prosecutor From Charging Teens in Sexting Case”
Three generation of Shoemakers are in jail tonight in a fight over a dog. Police in Walkersville, Maryland were called to the home after a man said that his father Michael Shoemaker, 42, (left) and his 17 year old brother had broken into his house and stolen his dog.
Continue reading “Home With The Shoemakers: Three Generations Jailed in Dog Incident”
The Washington Post is reporting that the torture ofhigh-value captive, Abu Zubaida produced nothing but false leads — in direct contradiction of suggestions by former Vice President Dick Cheney and others who endorsed the torture program and use of waterboarding. Moreover, the report indicates that the Administration quickly learned that Zubaida was not the high-profile, highly placed Al Qaeda operative that they told the public. I discussed the latest developments on this segment of Countdown.
Spanish investigating magistrate Baltasar Garzon has passed a 98-page complaint to prosecutors that accuses former Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales and five others violations of international law, including torture.
Continue reading “Spanish Court Orders Investigation of Bush Aides for War Crimes at Guantanamo Bay”
According to an Internet report, Washington, D.C. lawyer Thomas Dunlap of Dunlap, Grubb and Weaver has been peddling a tape for a “friend” of Vice President Joseph Biden’s daughter, Ashley, allegedly snorting cocaine at a party in Delaware. With rising criticism in the press, Dunlap reportedly has withdrawn from his controversial role in this political version of the Michael Phelps pot shot. Radar Online is suggesting that the presumably now former friend may have set up Biden by buying the cocaine and hiding the camera — claims that (if proven) could lead to liability for the individual.
Continue reading “Seller’s Remorse: Lawyer Reportedly First Tries to Sell Tape of Ashley Biden Allegedly Snorting Cocaine and Then Withdraws”
One of our favorite Valentine stories has come to an end. Jason Leroy Savage, 29, has been sentenced for having sex with a car wash vacuum. He was given 90 days in prison in Saginaw County, Michigan where they never set their vacuums for shag.
Continue reading “Nobody Does It Like a Hoover: Man Sentenced for Intimate Moment With Car Wash Vacuum”
Courts in various countries are increasing being asked to enforce the judgments of religious courts — a trend that bothers many civil libertarians. These cases often involve private agreements to submit cases to such courts in arbitration or mediation. An interesting case in New York, however, shows that such courts often lack back professional or ethical guarantees. A New York trial court has thrown out the ruling of a religious court on the grounds of a “judge” in a Rabbinical Court (Beth Din) having possible bias.
Continue reading “Bias in the Beth Din: State Court Vacates Judgment of Religious Court Due to Bias”
Police in Fort Lauderdale, Florida are facing scrutiny and criticism after police officers beat a man in an elevator and then charged him with assaulting them. What is most disturbing is that internal affairs investigated Joshua Daniel Ortiz’s, 22, claims and completely cleared the officers — yet never appeared to have reviewed the surveillance tape (below) that clearly contradicts by the officers. The department, however, will not discipline the officers for a clearly bogus criminal charge and either intentionally misleading or false reports.
Continue reading “Video Shows Police Officers Beating Man and Then Charging Him With Assault”
Louisiana Attorney Chiquita Tate was in the midst of a high-profile murder trial when she became the subject of a new murder case against her husband, Greg Harris, accused of stabbing her 38 times in her office.
Continue reading “Lawyer Allegedly Murdered By Husband in Midst of High-Profile Murder Trial”
Lawyer and Former Suffolk County legislator George Guldi, 57, is accused in a bizarre fraudulent conspiracy. With the help of a famous dominatrix and two other lawyers, the Long Island attorney is accused of a 450 million mortgage scam.
Continue reading “Fraud Fetish: Lawyers Accused of Duping Fetish Club Members With Help of Dominatrix”
Now, here is a case showing the need to get one’s captioning right on civil complaints in Warren, Michigan. Inez M. Starks, 55, was given a fine for suing the police department over an alleged dog attack. Judge David Viviano (left) fined her $500 for actually naming the dog, Liberty, in the lawsuit. She was also given a $500 fine for failing to appear in court.
Continue reading “Suing Liberty: Michigan Woman Fined for Named Police Dog as Defendant in Lawsuit”
In an example of the terrible treatment given rape victims in some traditional societies, a woman in India has converted to Islam to marry her rapist — in order to end the social stigma of being a rape victim. For years ago, the woman (who name was withheld) was raped and then ostracized for her status. She is asking a court to allow her rapist to be placed on bond so that she can marry him and end her isolation since the 2005 crime. As shown below, this is not a unique case.
Continue reading “Indian Woman Seeks To Marry Rapist In Order To End Social Stigma and Isolation”
Ok, even as a criminal defense attorney I do not get this one. Mauricio Lopez, 34, pleaded guilty to child abuse that resulted in his breaking 30 bones in a 5-month-old baby. For that horrific crime, Lopez will get just seven years.
Continue reading “Man Breaks 30 Bones in the Body of a 5-Month-Old Baby and Walks Away With Just Seven Years”