One of the most controversial laws in Germany is the criminal ban on Nazi symbols. In the United States, such symbols are viewed as both obnoxious and legal. Recently, the Germans prosecuted people who produced teeshirts with an anti-Nazi image: a swastika with a red strip through it. At the same time, a bizarre man in Berlin with pro-Nazi views was prosecuted for, among other things, his dog Adolf’s pet trick of giving the Nazi salute. The dog was taken from his owner, who had promised to kill him on the Fuhrer’s birthday due to the expense of criminal fines. Continue reading “Germany Criminally Punishes Citizens for Anti-Nazi Teeshirts Showing Swastika — and a Dog Named Adolf That Gives Nazi Salute”
Category: Criminal law
Of course, a motion to continue could be more efficient and hygenic, but 37-year-old Walter Barrett stripped and covered himself with his own feces to avoid court. He also spit and threw waste at guards.
As a result, Barrett, convicted of a violent home invasion, was forced to wear a bag over his head in court. His attorneys are seeking (not surprisingly) a competency hearing.
Guards are routinely the target of such acts, though some actually file criminal complaints. This is the case with
Desmond Turner is awaiting trial for battery by bodily waste by spitting on a jail guard.
Turner and James Stewart face murder charges for the June 2006 shooting deaths of four adults and three young children in a home on the city’s east side. Their trial is scheduled for February 2009. For that story, click here
For the earlier video and story, click here
In yet another alleged case of taser abuse, Florida Yoga instructor Elizabeth Beeland was tasered by Daytona Beach Officer Claudia Wright for being loud and profane. She was later charged with the highly enigmatic crime of resisting a police officer without violence as well as disorderly conduct. Continue reading “Video: Yoga Instructor Tasered for Being “Loud” and “Profane””
There seems to be an increase in officers accused of crossing the thin blue line to free lance in crime. On the same day, New Orleans officer Danny Lohman was accused of stealing a driver’s money in an invalid arrest while Harrisburg, Pa. officer Joseph Kelly resigned after a prostitute that he allegedly hired walked off with his service weapon. In the meantime, Ryan Osbrink in Oregon has admitted to accidently shooting and killing his wife while practicing a fast draw with his service weapon. Continue reading “Officers In Trouble: One Had Gun Stolen by Prostitute; Another Shoots Wife While Practicing a Fast Draw; Another Accused of Stealing a Driver’s Money”
England is investigating a highly disturbing video directed at child as an apparent recruiting device. This follows other such children terrorism pitches — which mainstream Muslim groups have denounced. Continue reading “Videos Recruit Children as Suicide Bombers — England Investigates Possible Criminal Charges”
The extensive media coverage of the pregnancy of Jamie Lynn Spears — sister of Britney Spears and television star in her own right — has focused on the sensational while ignoring the legal story: the articles describe a technical case of statutory rape. If Aldridge was having sex with Spears at age 15 or 16, he would be subject to a variety of criminal charges. The case should bring some attention to the inconsistent prosecution of statutory rape claims around the country and a reexamination of what we should be trying to achieve in these cases. Continue reading “Can Casey Aldridge Be Criminally Charged with Statutory Rape and other Offenses of Jamie Lynn Spears?”
After Democratic senators saved Attorney General Michael Mukasey from having to recognize that waterboarding is torture, the person nominated to serve as his deputy has done the same thing. Of course, Mark Filip today did not testify (as Mukasey did) that he simply did not know what waterboarding is. However, Filip refused to acknowledge that is torture despite ample cases establishing that fact. The question is whether Democrats will again avoid the issue by confirming a nominee who refuses to acknowledge the illegality of a heinous practice. Continue reading “Nominee for Deputy Attorney General Refuses to Recognize Waterboarding as Torture”
Recently, a viewer asked if I was not a bit too critical of tasers and asked if they were not better than having to resort to guns. The most obvious answer is that tasers are now used by some officers as a first response, though most officers use them appropriately. The choice is not between a taser and a gun. However, the case below shows this perils of such a choice and confusion with Madera officer Marcy Noriega. Continue reading “California Cop Mistakes Gun for Taser and Kills Handcuffed Suspect”
The New York Times is reporting this morning that at least four White House officials, including Alberto Gonzales, discussed the plan to destroy the CIA interrogation tapes. The news deepens the scandal for the White House and makes it much more difficult for Attorney General Michael Mukasey to continue to refuse to appoint a special prosecutor. Continue reading “Four White House Officials — Including Gonzales — Knew of Tape Destruction Plan”
Saudi King Abdullah has also pardoned the man who was abducted with a rape victim in the infamous case in Saudi Arabia. A religious court had sentenced the rape victim to 200 lashes and six months in prison. The status of her male companion has been unclear and it has been reported that he was also raped by the attackers and also ordered to be flogged for violating Islamic rules about relationships with unmarried women. What is most remarkable, however, is the defense of the original laws under which they were both sentenced –citing their “torture” as sufficient punishment to teach them “a lesson.” In the meantime, the seven gang rapists received only two to seven years for their crime. Continue reading “Saudi King Pardons Male Companion with Victim in Infamous Rape Case; Says Their “Torture” Taught Them a Lesson”
In the ultimate expression of congressional — and possibly cultural — values, two full hearings have been ordered only a day into the renewed controversy over steroid abuse in baseball. This follows numerous hearings in prior years. Members are falling over themselves to get camera time on the issue. However, with the disclosure of an official program of torture ordered by the President, not a single public hearing has been scheduled other than a recent general hearing on waterboarding in the Senate. It appears that steroid abuse is simply more of a pressing issue that detainee abuse for the nation. Continue reading “Torture 0 Baseball 2 — Congress Moves to Deal with Steroid Abuse While Detainee Abuse Languishes”
The White House may have told District Judge Henry H. Kennedy not to “interfere” in the CIA tape controversy, but he appears to have other ideas. Today, he ordered a hearing for Friday on the question. He may be only the first judge to do so as the courts and Congress come to grips with an obvious case of obstruction and spoilation. Continue reading “Federal Judge Orders Hearing on Destroyed CIA Tapes”
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael L. Stern has awarded dancer Michael Flatley (of Rvierdance fame) more than $11 million in his lawsuit against Tyna Marie Robertson, a real estate agent who accused him of rape. Flatley showed that the sex was consensual in the case. In the meantime, Robertson’s former lawyer, D. Dean Mauro has been found to have extorted Flatley and also made a substantial settlement over the case. Continue reading “Riverdance Star Michael Flatley Wins $11 Million Against Woman Who Falsely Accused Him of Sexual Assault”
The Washington Post has reported that the FBI did not view the torture of Abu Zubaida as yielding valuable information — one of the principle arguments for embracing an official torture program. Continue reading “FBI Agents Contradict White House Insistence that Torture Yielded Valuable Information from Abu Zubaida”
In a rare criminal case, a New York jury convicted a millionaire perfume makers Mahender Murlidhar Sabhnani, 51, and Varsha Mahender Sabhnani, 45, of enslaving two Indonesian housekeepers while using bizarre forms of punishments like forced eating of hot peppers and vomit. While the defense insists that the allegations are merely “histrionics,” the jury clearly found the two women credible and convicted the wealthy couple. Continue reading “Wealthy Couple Convicted in Slavery Case in New York”