Scientology has long been criticized for using litigation to wear down anyone who challenges or investigates its church. Now, Gawker and other sites found themselves the recipients of threatening letters not to show the video, which contains a rather odd interview with Cruise in a frenzy over Scientology and its powers. The claim of copyright infringement and criminal violations appears a scare tactic given the newsworthy content of the video. While some sites immediately buckled under the pressure, Gawker has taken a public and defiant stance against Church. While Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard told his supporters that litigation is meant to harass enemies not win cases, this is one first amendment fight the Church may want to avoid. Continue reading “Scientology Lawyers Go After Bloggers and Sites Featuring Bizarre Cruise Videotape”
Category: Criminal law
For weeks, there has been a concerted effort in both Congress and the White House to contain the scandal over the CIA torture tapes, while giving the impression of a serious effort to investigate. This week’s House Intelligence hearing seemed to confirm the worst suspicions along these lines as both Democrats and Republicans offered a rogue employee theory to explain the destruction — and in the process, relieve themselves and the Administration of serious blame. Continue reading “The Spin Begins: House Leaders Offer Rogue Employee Theory for CIA Torture Tape Destruction”
The criminal trial of Wesley Snipes and two other men will focus on a little known movement based on Section 861 of the Internal Revenue Code. This group argues that citizens are only required to pay taxed on earnings made outside but not inside the country. Snipes could be looking at real jail time for his involvement with the group even after he signed a affidavit of incompetence in 2000 that he does not understand his basic tax obligations. Continue reading “Wesley Snipes Trial to Highlight 861 Scam — Considered a Cult-like Movement By Tax Experts”
Archbishop Earl Paulk’s problems just got a lot more serious. As reported earlier, he has been under criminal investigation in Georgia and now an arrest warrant has been issued for the 80-year-old leader of the Holy Spirit at Chapel Hill Harvester Church after a long investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. He is accused of felony perjury related to a civil lawsuit alleging that he coerced a church employee to have an affair with him. Continue reading “Arrest Warrant Issued for Archbishop Earl Paulk”
Nothing becomes politics quite like death. With a presidential election approaching and three important cases before the Supreme Court, the country is once again grappling with the death penalty. Politicians and citizens alike are debating how — and whether — we should kill those who kill others.
It is a debate with particular importance to Ralph Baze and Thomas Clyde Bowling Jr., death-row inmates who are challenging the constitutionality of lethal injection as a method of execution in Kentucky. The court is set to issue its first ruling in more than 100 years on the method of executions. Continue reading “From The Brazen Bull to Lethal Injection: The Punishment Fits the Times”
In a surprising move, the Bush Administration has supported D.C. in the upcoming review of its gun control laws just as gun rights advocates thought they had finally achieved an upper hand on the long-unresolved constitutional question. Continue reading “Bush Administration Backs D.C. Gun Controls Before Supreme Court”
In the world of jail house law, Scott Anthony Gomez Jr. is a stand out. Convicted of weapons charges, Gomez escapted once from the Pueblo County Jail in Colorado, only to be caught again. In his his attempt, he fell from an 85 foot height, seriously injuring himself. He argues in his federal filing that, if the jail was better secured, he would not have attempt such an act. Continue reading “Inmate Sues Jail for Injuries from Escape Attempt — Alleges Negligent Security”
Dallas Police Officers Randy Anderson, 25, and Paul Loughridge, 48, apparently view foosball as more of a contact support. The two officers have been fired after they put their guns to the heads to two men — including country music singer Steve Holy — during a late night game in Holy’s garage. Continue reading “OK You Win: Two Police Officers Fired After Putting Guns to the Heads of Men Playing Foosball”
With little attention in the media, the Justice Department has filed papers in federal court arguing that the CIA did not have an obligation to preserve the infamous torture tapes and therefore was lawfully entitled to destroy them. The filing patently demonstrates the conflict of interest in Attorney General Michael Mukasey insisting that the Justice Department investigate the possible criminal conduct in the matter. Now, the Justice Department is not only investigating itself, but it is investigating a crime that it has rejected as baseless in court filings. The ACLU case has also shown that other officials were aware of the tapes, including the CIA Inspector General’s Office — which means that the agency “watchdogs” knew of a torture program – a clear criminal enterprise – and did nothing. Continue reading “Justice Department Argues in Court that CIA Did Not Have to Preserve Torture Tapes While It Continues to “Independently Investigate” That Very Crime”
With states and citizens objecting, the Congress and the Bush Administration have moved ahead to require a national identification card — abandoning decades of opposition to such a system on civil liberties grounds. I testified against this proposal when it was first made in the immediate aftermath of the 9-11 attacks. What is truly remarkable is that the REAL ID has become little more than an excuse to do something that the Bush Administration has been trying to do for years: create interlocking databases on citizens. Continue reading “Your Papers Please: The United States Adopts a National ID Card And Abandons Priniciples”
In November 2001, I testified against the national identification card proposal when it was first made in Congress. Below is the oral testimony from that hearing before the House Government Reform Committee, Financial Management and Intergovernmental Relations Subcommittee on Nov. 16, 2001: Continue reading “National Identification Card Testimony”
In my work in prisons, I have had on occasion to insist on dietary changes, particularly for my Muslim clients. However, this is the first time I have heard of an outside organization asking a prison to impose a particularly dietary plan. PETA has asked for a vegetarian diet for Christopher Lee McCuin, 25, who killed and cooked his girlfriend 21-year-old Jana Shearer in Texas. Continue reading “Don’t Feed the Cannibals: PETA Wants Vegetable Only Diet for Man Accused of Eating Girlfriend”
Torts lawyer Richard “Dickie” Scruggs has long been famous or infamous depending on your view of his windfall, one billion fee award in the tobacco settlement. Now, the brother-in-law of Trent Lott will face a criminal trial on bribery and related charges with his son. To make matters worse, his legal team just withdrew from his defense. Continue reading “Famous Torts Lawyer Dickie Scruggs Indicted With Son for Bribery: Defense Counsel Withdraw From Case”
Jose Rodriguez, the man who ordered the destruction of the CIA torture tapes, has retained D.C. lawyer Robert Bennett and has demanded that he be given a grand of immunity by Congress before he testifies. It is a move that could practically cripple any prosecution, as shown by the Oliver North case. Continue reading “Visions of Oliver North: Jose Rodriguez Demands Immunity as Condition for Congressional Immunity in CIA Torture Scandal”
As discussed in prior entries, Senator Larry Craig is arguing that his guilty plea is invalid because the underlying conduct cannot be a crime. While the odds are against him, the argument has merit. Continue reading “Craig Challenges Conviction Claiming Hand Signals are Protected Speech and Conduct was Victimless”