In Jerusalem, two of the most famous cantors in Israel are involved in a scandal right out of a Mickey Spallane novel involving seduction, comely female private detectives, hidden cameras and the works. The central players in the drama are Naftali Herstik and his former student, Israel Rand. Rand will soon be indicted for his conspiracy to turn Herstik into a de-canter. Continue reading “The Cantor Did It: Leading Cantors in Israel Embroiled in Alleged Sex Trap Conspiracy”
Category: Criminal law
This falls into the “bad cop, no doughnut” category. In Ottawa, they have a curious way of dealing with officers who commit crimes. Constable Alec Moraru has been reinstated after receiving three years suspension WITH pay after he (1) shoplifted, (2) threatened a civilian; and (3) assaulted a civilian. That’ll teach him. Continue reading “Canadian Cop Shoplifts, Makes Threats and Assaults Civilian — Gets Three Year Suspension with Pay Plus Possible Promotions”
Okay, I was premature yesterday (here), in noting the current leading candidates for worst persons on Earth. That was before I met Frank White today. The video below shows White taking the wallet of Mississippi State University ROTC student Andrew Bow after he falls into a seizure on the street. Continue reading “Shock Video: Man Steals Wallet of ROTC Cadet Having Seizure”
Last week, the Senate took an unprecedented step asking the Justice Department to investigate the possible criminal conduct of a House member. The subject of this ignoble moment is Rep. Don Young. For many, it was a well-earned distinction for Young, who is often cited as the face of earmark corruption. However, this is different. Young is accused of effectively stealing millions of dollars for a campaign contributor by changing the words of an appropriations bill after it was passed by his colleagues. Continue reading “Fraud by Write-Out? Don Young’s Extra Ordinary Earmark”
The Bush Administration has long had difficulty in terrorism, assembling the worst record of losses of an modern Administration. Now, in the Liberty City case of six defendants accused of plotting to try to blow up the Sears Tower in Chicago, they are going to try a THIRD time to get a jury to believe them. This is not a matter of the law of terrorism but the law of averages. Despite the strikingly similar reaction of the prior two juries, the Justice Department just hopes that it can still find people who will not question the unconvincing case against these individuals. Continue reading “Playing the Law of Averages: Justice Department to Try Sears Tower Defendants a Third Time”
Two individuals are locked away this week in a huge net benefit to our collective gene pool. One, Nicholas David Thompson, beat a kitten’s head on a wall for giggles while the other, Aaron Hunter, urinated on a three-old child because he was mad at his mother. Continue reading “This Week’s Selections of the Worst Humans On the Planet”
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled this week that border agents can search a person’s laptop without either probable cause or reasonable suspicion. In a sweeping decision that reversed the trial judge, Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain and two other judges found no distinction in a search of luggage and actually reviewing the contents of a computer under the Fourth Amendment. The ruling went against Michael Arnold, who was arrested at the Los Angeles International Airport with child pornography. Continue reading “Ninth Circuit Rules that Borders Agents Can Search Computers Without Either Probable Cause or Reasonable Suspicion”
New Hampshire Superior Court Judge Patricia Coffey resigned after she was suspended for three years by the state Supreme Court for dealings considered fraudulent and dishonest by her colleagues. Coffey’s demise is tied to a fraudulent property transfer involving her husband, John Coffey was barred as an attorney over the controversy. Continue reading “New Hampshire Judge Resigns Under Allegations of Fraudulent Conduct”
In Tampa, Ahmed Mohamed and Youssef Megahed — the two former University of South Florida students — have been charged with terrorism counts stemming from a traffic stop in South Carolina. As with many such cases, the government made a great deal over the stop, suggesting a major terrorism coup that found explosive devices in their car near military facilities. As time went on, the allegations proved somewhat laughable as the government struggled to find any way to justify the original press. Continue reading “Government Charges Two Former USF Students With Terrorism Counts”
A Georgia military contractor, Pyrotechnic Specialties Inc. or PSI, is accused of a conspiracy to defraud the government and to sell defective stun (or “flashbang”) grenades to the military and both state and federal law enforcement officials. Not only were three FBI agents injured, but PSI is accused to luring federal officials with gifts at stripper joints and other perks. Officials are now facing charges of conspiracy, money laundering, mail fraud and defrauding the government. Continue reading “Criminal Charges in Defective Grenade Case”
State officials have begun giving DNA tests to 400 children. The testing is intended to help determine their parents and relatives — though it could become part of a criminal case raising some interesting issues. Continue reading “DNA Testing Begins on Polygamous Sect”
Phillip Miles, of South Carolina, was sentenced by a Moscow court to more than three years in prison for smuggling hunting ammunition into Russia. He had brought a box of 20 rifle shells for a friend who had a Winchester rifle. Stupid to be sure, but three years? Continue reading “American Pastor Sentenced to Three Years in Russia for Smuggling Ammunition”
According to the German magazine Der Spiegel, German citizen Gholam Ghaus Z., 41, had been held since January in Afghanistan after he tried to buy a shaver in a U.S. military supermarket. The four-months of confinement that followed has not been justified by the U.S. government and has become a matter of tensions between the two countries. This follows the case of German Turk Murat Kurnaz who spent almost five years in US military camps in Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay despite a lack of evidence of terrorism, in the view of the Germans. The Bush Administration, however, is holding the line it appears at keeping our shavers out of the hands of Al Qaeda to avoid an escalation to nose clippers and that quintessentially American product, the Thigh Master. Continue reading “Getting the Schtick Kicked Out of You: German Citizen Allegedly Held for Months by U.S. in Afghanistan After Trying to Buy Electric Shaver in Military Store”
It is not clear whether this will be more significant as a criminal or a defamation claim. CNN personality Richard Quest was arrested on April 18th. Various news organizations reported that he was found with a small bag of methamphetamine. Bad, but not particularly interesting. However, the New York Post has alleged that Quest was also caught with a rope around his neck that was tied to his genitals, and a sex toy in his boot. A bit of a difference and one that could lead to some interesting litigation if found to be untrue or misleading. Continue reading “CNN Personality Arrested in New York in Allegedly Bizarre Circumstances”
Elena Reichman does not appear to be a threat to the traveling pocket, but according to police she warrants a felony battery charge over a confrontation over a secondary search at the Palm Beach International Airport. The 74-year-old grandmother and Holocaust survivor spent the night in jail over an incident that appears to have been the result of a combination bad judgment and bad manners. Continue reading “Meet the Face of Terror: 74-Year-0ld Criminally Charged After Refusing to Empty Pockets at Airport”