Category: Criminal law

13-Year-Old Girl Reportedly Lies About Age Leading to Statutory Rape Conviction — Twice

There is a very interesting controversy brewing in Orange County, Florida. A 13-year-old girl Alisha Dean has a MySpace page that portrays herself as a 19-year-old divorced woman. She has been accused about lying to two men — Morris Williams, 22, and Darwin Mills, 24, about her age in two separate incidents. Both have been convicted and sent to jail for statutory rape — regardless of whether the older looking girl deceived them. While her parents admit that they did not take down the MySpace page and that she still stays out late at night, her father insists that minors are not expected to have the same judgment as adults.
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Get the Switch: Minnesota Supreme Court Rules Spanking Not a Crime

Parents across Minnesota this morning are searching for switches. The state supreme court has held that parents who spanked their son with a paddle did not commit a crime. The case began when Shawn Fraser decided to paddle his son Gerard for running away from home — using a wooden paddle 36 times on the boy. Gerard was then 12 and weighed 195 pounds. Gerard called the cops and Shawn was arrested. Continue reading “Get the Switch: Minnesota Supreme Court Rules Spanking Not a Crime”

Shattering the Terrorist Glass Ceiling: Al Qaeda Leader Rejects Role of Women as Terrorists and Suicide Bombers

Al Qaeda No. 2 leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri has already violated every possible international and domestic law in his career. However, he has now been recorded admitting to a knowing violation of Title VII: the refusal to allow women to serve as terrorists and suicide bombers. If he thought the CIA was dogged, wait until he feels the wrath of NOW.
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Shock Video: Cop is Filmed In Abusive Arrest of News Photographer

On Thursday, an abusive arrest of a journalist was recorded in Alalbuquerque, New Mexico. The video is below. In the clip, APD Officer Daniel Guzman appears to pummel KOB-TV cameraman Rick Foley after telling him to move to a different location. Not only is Foley arrested without cause but $50,000 in camera equipment is reportedly ruined.
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The Sopranic Method? Criminal Charges Filed in Insider Trading Case Involving Two University Professors

Two university professors have been caught up in an alleged insider trading conspiracy, including respected lecturer and retired St. John’s University professor, Dr. John F. Marshall. He is accused of giving Pace University Professor Alan L. Tucker insider information, resulting in Tucker making a cool $1.4 million on the tips in 2007. Dr. Marshall’s brother-in-law, Mark R. Larson is also accused of buying shares of I.S.E. stock based on the tips.

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No Spin Zone: The Grunting-Hedge-Fund-Manager Case Begins in New York

Hedge-Fund Manager Stuart Sugarman, 48, like to scream while spinning. To the irritation of many, Sugarman routinely yells things like “Woo-woo!” or “Great song!” or “Good burn,” or “You go, girl!” It was apparently too much for Stockbroker Christopher Carter, 44, at an Equinox gym at 85th Street and Third Avenue in New York. After telling Sugarman to quiet down and allegedly being told to “make me,” Carter pushed Sugarman off his bike. He now faces a year in jail and Sugarman has testified as a victim of spin rage. Continue reading “No Spin Zone: The Grunting-Hedge-Fund-Manager Case Begins in New York”

Jonathan Turley Arrested in Knife Attack — Blog Unaffected

I wanted the readers of this blog to hear it directly from me. It is true. Jonathan Turley has been arrested as a “dangerous and violent” knife-wielding attacker in Northern Ireland. In what will come as little surprise, the court found that Turley is in need for treatment for “emotionally unstable and dissocial personality types.” However, this blog will continue despite the arrest.

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Shockers: Child Advocate Arrested for Child Abuse; Motivational Speaker Arrested for Attempted Murder

Two bizarre stories are emerging out of Texas and Minnesota. In Austin, Billy Dan Carroll, 53, has been arrested of sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl — despite his work as a child advocate against abuse. In Minneapolis, Russell Simon Jr, 45, is being held on attempted murder (using a statue of John Wayne) –despite his work as a popular motivational speaker on such things as anger management.

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Legal Defense Goes Up in Smoke: Harvard Professor Challenges Pot Laws Seeking Jury Nullification — and Loses

Harvard Law School professor Charles R. Nesson saw the arrest of Richard E. Cusick and R. Keith Stroup as an opportunity to challenge the Massachusetts ban on marijuana — insisting that the law did not even meet the minimal “rational basis” test and seeking jury nullification. Instead, his clients were not even given an evidentiary hearing, found guilty quickly by the jury, and sentenced to time served.
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Florida Judge Ana Gardiner Accused of Improper Relationship and Conduct

A new judge is under scrutiny over improper her relationship and conduct. Ana Gardiner, the chief criminal judge for the 17th Judicial Circuit, is accused of having a romantic relationship with defense attorney John Cotrone and also discussing pending murder cases over dinner with prosecutors — including laughing about the evidence, jurors, and capital charges.

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Saudi Court Overturns Conviction of Employer Who Admitted Torturing Maid — Resulting in Amputation of Fingers and Toes

This week, we have seen another golden oldie from the Saudi legal system. Nour Miyati was severely abused by her employer who had tied up the Indonesian maid for a month and refused her food and basic necessities as punishment. Ms Miyati, 25, ultimately needed hospitalization and, after gangrene set in, they had to amputate her fingers and toes. While insisting that Islamic law protected servants, the Saudi courts just overturned the conviction of the couple responsible, including the wife who had admitted the abuse. Their punishment? $640.
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House Judiciary Subpoenas Karl Rove

The House Judiciary Committee on Thursday served a subpoena on former top Bush aide Karl Rove in another showdown with the White House. He is being called to answer questions about the firing U.S. Attorneys and the politicization of the Justice Department. His lawyer had earlier indicated he would testify. The real question is the stomach of the House for taking real action in wake of the likely failure to appear. Continue reading “House Judiciary Subpoenas Karl Rove”

Texas Court of Appeals Rules with Polygamous Parents in Texas

Polygamous parents in Texas won a major ruling today from the Texas appellate court in the opinion below. As we have discussed on this blog, the trial court appears to have ruled down the line with the Texas government — requiring little in terms of individual suspicion against these parents. Now, the trial court will have to do a little more to ensure that justice is tailored to the cases before her and not simply declare all parents presumptively unfit until proven otherwise.

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